Yes, there are efficiencies since all the tech is pretty close, but that pales in comparison to the sheer dollars injected into the industries. 231 billion dollars. Compare that to the 2nd closest investment into a car manufacturer which is the USA at 30 billion.
Each one of these new 500+ car manufacturers produced cars at a loss. Not because efficiencies. Because of subsidies. In some cases, not even sold at all. https://youtu.be/vplPmxVRcnk
Here in Taiwan, we get unfiltered China news.
Competition is good. I welcome Kevin to try again.
So much to unpack here but I’ll do my best to address everything you’re saying here.
1- Chinese cars can’t compete in price: yes because China has been dumping subsidies into the market, inflating the supply. China dumped 231 billion dollars into EVs from 2009 to 2023. Over 500 electric car brands were created due to this injection. There is only are less than 100 left after China stopped the subsidies.
2- The Chinese EV are a superior product: which one of the 500 car companies are you referring to? outside ofthe top China brands (Geely, BYD), they all sorta suck.
China is doing is state sponsored “dumping”. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dumping_(pricing_policy) which artificially reduces prices to gain market share and has a negative effect on the industry. Every country in the world, not just the US, has an anti dumping policy, including China.
While we the consumer would love to spend pennies on the dollar for an electric cars, the effect is only temporary and when we start losing car companies due to this practice, prices always, ALWAYS, are higher after we lose competition.
Anti dumping policies is not hindering free market. The second you inject 231 billion dollars of government subsidies into an industry, is the second it no longer becomes a free market.
Yes, the USA has also has given subsidies. In total about 30 billion dollars. A drop in the bucket on the 231 billion the CCP has injected.
I live in Taiwan and we call those China made cars tofu cars. Their domestic cars are terrible. So many of them are going out of business because the the CCP lowered down the subsidies.
I won’t be caught dead in one.
Yes, we get to prioritize USA industries vs China’s. I’m down for that.
I would too, but you have to understand why the USA is blocking these cars from coming in. The cost of these cheap EVs are not based off of supply and demand. Its not even this cheap because of effectiveness or efficiencies. Its from the CCP subsidies. The CCP wants to dump on the competition in efforts to kill off anyone making a car, then start jacking up the price after they have market share.
You know. I stand corrected.
Sure sure, plenty more that offers 4.7 and smaller.
You can. Ditch Apple and join us. Plenty of small phone selections here on the other side. Edit: you know what. Android doesn’t have that many either.
Same reason I have a Samsung Fold. 75% of the time it’s a small phone for small regular tasks. When consuming media, I open up.
Yes absolutely. The Japanese has a heavy influence in Taiwan culture. They ruled Taiwan for 50 years. My grandparents only spoke Japanese and Taiwanese when I was growing up here.
That is why there is so much love for the Japanese people. Our cultures are pretty aligned.
What we different is how we view kids in society. In Taiwan, when my wife was visably pregnant, people from all walks of life would give up their seat for her. Even before she was visably pregnant, the government gives you a ribbon to wear and people will let you go first on an elevator and congratulate you.
The government has designated parking spots(marked in pink lines) specifically for pregnant and anyone with kids 6 and under. All larger malls are required to have a clean breastfeeding/pumping room with some malls going the extra mile and having free childcare while you pump.
The people in Taiwan view children as everyone children and everyone has an obligation to bare that burden.
While there are major upsides, the downsides is that people have opinions on how to parent your kids with some parenting for you.
I was in Kaohsiung at a beach and my 3 year old son was taking a stick and hitting it against rocks and the sand. A bunch of grandma’s felt it was too unsafe for my son to be walking around with a stick in his hand and took it out of my kid’s hands and told me that my kid could lose an eye. I know the gesture comes from a good place, but man. Mind your own business.
They are courteous and very respectful. It’s built into the culture and even their language. One simple sentence like hello, how are you have multiple ways of saying it depending on who you’re addressing. Addressing incorrectly is very disrespectful. So the culture overly respectful.
Taiwanese family living in Taiwan and frequent Japan prior to having kids and after having kids.
Most people are quick to point out the gruesome work culture, but honestly, that is just a small part of the total issue.
1- Japanese people culturally hate outsiders. So their immigration system is setup to almost never give a foreigner citizenship.
2- Japanese people culturally have a mindset that if you pop one out, it’s you and only you that share that burden. That means that if you’re on a train and struggling with a crying toddler that is tired of standing, nobody and I mean nobody will let you have their seat. Half the patrons will turn up their volume on their headset and the other half with mean mug/glare at you for annoying them. You wanna know the worst part. This mindset transcends to the kid’s grandparents. That’s right. The grandparents will not lift a finger to help you.
Edit: I also want to add that the burden is not even on the father, outside of the finances. The father does not need to help with any baby duties. I have met many Japanese men that has kids that has never even changed a diaper. Why the fuck would a Japanese woman want to have kids?
3- The government is not making it easy to help the families. Do you have a sleeping kid in a stroller? Well, you better hold the kid if you’re using mass transit. Elevators are an afterthought. So once you get off a train, you either have to walk an extreme distance to get to an elevator or in some instances there isn’t even an elevator at all. In some rare occasion there is a designated elevator for strollers and wheel chair access, it’s jammed packed with people who is able-bodied and can take the escalator, all of which won’t exit the elevator to let people with wheel chairs or strollers in.
I went to Osaka Universal studios and ask to rent a stroller. The guy didn’t speak English at all. We eventually used my phone to translate and he asked me my kids age. I said 5. He said, is today his birthday? I said no. He turned 5 a few weeks ago. He then poceeds to deny me from renting a stroller. I reasoned with him telling him my kid is having major jet lag and needs a place to sleep right now. He told me to just go back to the hotel to sleep because he wasn’t going to rent a stroller to me.
I love Japan and the Japanese people, but honestly they all hate kids.
I honestly don’t mind the design. Sure some people hate it, but I didn’t care about others opinions on my car. That’s why my current vehicle is 25 years old. At that time, I was looking for a larger EV and during that time large EVs were nonexistent.
What sold me was the functionality. The concept had bench front row seating so I could seat 6(which they removed in the final). It had a usable trunk unlike the EVs at the time. There was frunk which was only on Teslas at the time. Also Tesla at the time had the highest safety rating among all cars. A promising auto pilot (which is a lie).
It also claimed to have a bullet proof shell and glass. While Seattle is relatively safe, there have been many instances where people have been murdered for road rage or just existing at a red light
Well, at the time there were promises made that made the Cybertruck appealing. I actually would still buy it today if it wasn’t a Nazi mobile.
I honestly don’t mind the design. Sure some people hate it, but I didn’t care about others opinions on my car. That’s why my current vehicle is 25 years old. At that time, I was looking for a larger EV and during that time large EVs were nonexistent.
What sold me was the functionality. The concept had bench front row seating so I could seat 6(which they removed in the final). It had a usable trunk unlike the EVs at the time. There was frunk which was only on Teslas at the time. Also Tesla at the time had the highest safety rating among all cars. A promising auto pilot (which is a lie).
It also claimed to have a bullet proof shell and glass. While Seattle is relatively safe, there have been many instances where people have been murdered for road rage or just existing at a red light
Oh man, I got my timelines wrong. I think it was closer to a slow progression than instantly.
I don’t even think he even commented on his Nazi salute after he did it. Which is even more damning.
It’s closer to the Haitians eating ducks, I think. I sniff glue.
Invites all around! Remind me in 20 years.