Shift Key with Robinson Meyer and Jesse Jenkins Why the Rest of the World Is Buying Chinese EVs
37 snips
Dec 10, 2025 Ilaria Mazzocco, Deputy Director and Senior Fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, delves into the booming Chinese electric vehicle market. She reveals how countries are strategically welcoming or resisting Chinese EVs based on local economic goals. Mazzocco discusses buyer patterns in emerging markets, the challenges of charging infrastructure, and the implications for U.S. policies. With insights on Brazil's tariff changes and India's dependence on Chinese technology, she highlights the complexities of global EV competition and the future of industrial policy.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Chinese EVs Are Reshaping Global Policy
- Chinese EVs are cheaper, more innovative, and rapidly displacing other cars in many emerging markets.
- This shift reframes climate and economic policy around how closely countries want to link to China.
Responses Vary By Country Motive
- Countries respond to Chinese EVs in varied ways: some simply import while others seek local production.
- Motivations include reducing oil imports, economic development, and climate goals.
Small Importers Quickly Embrace Chinese EVs
- Costa Rica and other small import-dependent countries shifted from European or U.S. cars to Chinese EVs.
- They often seek to reduce oil imports and welcome cheaper EVs without domestic auto industries to protect.