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> isn’t entirely hobbled by US professional management culture When the only competitor fully keeping up/overpassing Tesla on the EV side is BYD, and VW is cu

> isn’t entirely hobbled by US professional management culture When the only competitor fully keeping up/overpassing Tesla on the EV side is BYD, and VW is cuting through it's workforce to "stay competitive", it gives a lot of pause on the ethics of the car makers in the field. Do we need to go through a dark age again before ever getting out of the tunnel ?

dzhiurgis 3y ago
Imagine how low the bar is when someone like BYD can become number 1…
- matthewdgreen 3y ago
  I think this is going to be one of those comments like “gosh Nissan/Sony/Toyota only makes cheap and junky items, who could ever imagine them becoming a mainstream competitor to established brands like GM/Zenith/Eagle.”
  - dzhiurgis 3y ago
    It wasn't my point, but I think we agree. Legacy auto can't make a competitive small EV. I give it 50% chance it won't in US - Tesla will release cheaper model by the time BYD starts selling (if ever) in US.
    - matthewdgreen 3y ago
      I’m very worried about the fact that Tesla can’t take advantage of a (huge) $7,500 tax credit because their batteries are sourced in China. (Yes, they may be sourced in a Tesla factory in China but that doesn’t matter.) It does not speak well to Tesla’s many years of US factory development that they still can’t compete with Chinese-based battery production. It puts them in a position where US competitiveness is dependent on the good graces of the Chinese government, and the Chinese government is primarily interested in the success of Chinese firms. (And ETA: obviously most other Western automakers are worse off than Tesla.)
      - defrost 3y ago
        Tesla Breaks Ground on Lithium Processing Center in Texas American electric carmaker Tesla has broken ground on a new lithium processing center it says will support the production of up to 1 million vehicles by 2025. ... Albemarle plans to build a lithium processing center in South Carolina that will aim to refine 100,000 tons of the substance each year. Building on that project is expected to begin next year. https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/tesla-breaks-ground-on-lithium-processing-center-in-texas/7088504.html https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/tesla-breaks-ground-on...

dzhiurgis 3y ago

Imagine how low the bar is when someone like BYD can become number 1…

matthewdgreen 3y ago
I think this is going to be one of those comments like “gosh Nissan/Sony/Toyota only makes cheap and junky items, who could ever imagine them becoming a mainstream competitor to established brands like GM/Zenith/Eagle.”
- dzhiurgis 3y ago
  It wasn't my point, but I think we agree. Legacy auto can't make a competitive small EV. I give it 50% chance it won't in US - Tesla will release cheaper model by the time BYD starts selling (if ever) in US.
  - matthewdgreen 3y ago
    I’m very worried about the fact that Tesla can’t take advantage of a (huge) $7,500 tax credit because their batteries are sourced in China. (Yes, they may be sourced in a Tesla factory in China but that doesn’t matter.) It does not speak well to Tesla’s many years of US factory development that they still can’t compete with Chinese-based battery production. It puts them in a position where US competitiveness is dependent on the good graces of the Chinese government, and the Chinese government is primarily interested in the success of Chinese firms. (And ETA: obviously most other Western automakers are worse off than Tesla.)
    - defrost 3y ago
      Tesla Breaks Ground on Lithium Processing Center in Texas American electric carmaker Tesla has broken ground on a new lithium processing center it says will support the production of up to 1 million vehicles by 2025. ... Albemarle plans to build a lithium processing center in South Carolina that will aim to refine 100,000 tons of the substance each year. Building on that project is expected to begin next year. https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/tesla-breaks-ground-on-lithium-processing-center-in-texas/7088504.html https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/tesla-breaks-ground-on...