Former GM Executive: BYD cars are good in terms of design, features, price, quality. If we let BYD into the U.S. market, it could end up destroying american manufacturers
-
Domestic US cars can't compete with foreign cars. We've known that forever. Or at least since the 90s.
Look no further than Kei trucks being illegal.
Our overengineered, over priced, unnecessarily complicated crap just can't compete with simple transport vehicles because they aren't made as a tool to serve a purpose. Everyone wants to make a Corolla into a Cadillac and sell it for Cadillac prices.
Domestic US cars can't compete with foreign cars. We've known that forever. Or at least since the 90s.
Growing up in the 90s in Wisconsin, all the conservatives around me always talked shit about foreign cars.
I can’t comprehend how they justified it. But I also knew nothing about cars.
It was only back in ~2016 that I realized how much building a car is similar to building a computer. Supply chains, common parts, designs made to fit common “cases”. Etc etc.
-
Hmmm. I think US cars can absolutely compete. Here is the problem. Foreign manufacturers make cars that people want to buy. American manufacturers make cars that they want to sell. These two things are not the same.
Makes me think of Dell.
-
I don't disagree with the criticisms of American cars -- overpriced, uninspired, unreliable, over-engineered, etc. -- but to everyone saying "we should just compete", do you realize the realities that Chinese workers experience? Have you heard of 996? It's shorthand for a common work schedule in China: 9am to 9pm, 6 days a week. Benefits that are common in the U.S., even in non-union shops, like retirement plans, PTO, worker's comp, and overtime pay are rare. So, yeah, things can be made much cheaper if you are willing to feed your workforce into the grinder.
but to everyone saying “we should just compete”, do you realize the realities that Chinese workers experience? Have you heard of 996?
I get what you are saying, but sometimes I think we should in a way, or at least we should get republicans exposed to it, so they can live their hogwash ideas of free markets.
-
Americans have come to think of Chinese products as bad quality because of the American companies who engage them for cheaper labor. Walmart was known to order products made to a certain spec one year, then the next year demand the company increase production, but for the same amount paid as the previous year. The Chinese company, not wanting to lose the contract, obliges, but corners have to be cut. It should be called Americanesium, not Chineseum.
Derek Guy (Die, Workwear!) posted a thread a while back (I think about 6 months ago) about how the Chinese can and do make great quality products, pointing out high quality fabrics. Give them money to buy good raw materials, give them a decent wage, and they'll put out a good product. Honestly, they probably have a more fair work ethic than some American companies that just feed their CEOs massive salaries or are owned by private equity.
Its largely american cope that they are not that good at manufacturing anymore. Chinese factories build things to spec, and the customer asks for cheap, so they get cheap.
-
If something is being so heavily subsidized, the correct market response is to buy as much as possible, and resell once the prices ramp up.
Setting up tariffs and complaining about subsidies? 100% not the "free market" response. It's cope.
True, even Milton Friedman (barf) said we should be thankful if someone wants to subsides our lives. Besides these market extremists say all government intervention is bound to fail, so they should have nothing to fear letting the BYDs in. The socialist subsidy of BYD will collapse and we don't want the government distorting our market either.
This isn't really my personal take, but i like using their own logic to reach a conclusion they will hate.
-
American cars have sucked compared to Asian cars since the 1970s. I don't understand why people are acting all surprised that this is true in respect to BYD. Sure in the past products designed in China were stereotyped as poor quality knock offs of western designed goods, but in the past decade Chinese engineers have increasingly proven themselves as perfectly capable of making solid, innovative designs that improve upon those of their competitors. I think it's kind of fucked up that everyone is so suddenly upset about China's role in the world economy since everyone was completely fine using them for cheap labor over the past several decades and are just mad that Chinese companies are beating them at high skill labor and technology. Chinese companies do have an "unfair advantage" given how much they are backed by the Chinese government but American companies receive all sorts of money from the government for all sorts of things as well.
The “unfair advantage” bit has been incredibly funny to me ever since I sat in a call to prepare a joint research proposal and the representative of a certain large euro automotive supplier told us that their company would only participate in any project if they got at least a certain amount of government funding.
-
So Canada, how are they?
We can't buy Chinese EV's in Canada thanks to the 100% tariff imposed by the GoC. I wish they'd get rid of the tariff. Our cheapest EV option right now is the Fiat 500e and that starts at over $30,000.
-
I don't disagree with the criticisms of American cars -- overpriced, uninspired, unreliable, over-engineered, etc. -- but to everyone saying "we should just compete", do you realize the realities that Chinese workers experience? Have you heard of 996? It's shorthand for a common work schedule in China: 9am to 9pm, 6 days a week. Benefits that are common in the U.S., even in non-union shops, like retirement plans, PTO, worker's comp, and overtime pay are rare. So, yeah, things can be made much cheaper if you are willing to feed your workforce into the grinder.
Exactly, which is why I'm left scratching my head why the US wants to bring manufacturing back to the US. We're much better of growing the well-paying jobs where our education systems can compete favorably vs bringing back jobs that compete with low-paying jobs...
-
I'd argue it is.
Just look how Amazon got where it is now: Sell way under market price, till local competition closed shop, then squeeze.
BYD is already facing scrutiny for running Evergrande like accounting, and a lot of political pressures from other Chinese manufacturers.
The risk is that they collapse like Evergrande, and that they drag public debt into it. The CCP might prop them up, so it light be safe.
A car is different from a book, because you need lifetime service for it. If they go under, you might lose access to parts. -
but to everyone saying “we should just compete”, do you realize the realities that Chinese workers experience? Have you heard of 996?
I get what you are saying, but sometimes I think we should in a way, or at least we should get republicans exposed to it, so they can live their hogwash ideas of free markets.
LOL you're pulling stuff out of your ass.
They generally have it better than us, Europe.
Not even compared to the absolute shithole taht is the US where the workers rights are beyond pathetic.
You have to be ignorant, Sinophobic and spoonfed propaganda to write and belive these comments.
But then again you're american. -
Exactly, which is why I'm left scratching my head why the US wants to bring manufacturing back to the US. We're much better of growing the well-paying jobs where our education systems can compete favorably vs bringing back jobs that compete with low-paying jobs...
LOL losers, your education is shit compared to Chinese.
You've got nothing to offer to the world. -
Exactly, which is why I'm left scratching my head why the US wants to bring manufacturing back to the US. We're much better of growing the well-paying jobs where our education systems can compete favorably vs bringing back jobs that compete with low-paying jobs...
where our education systems can compete favorably
LOL are you sure about that?
List of Countries By Literacy Rate
The rate of literacy refers to the ability to sufficiently read and write. Many factors, such as accessibility and quality of education, can contribute to these rates.
WorldAtlas (www.worldatlas.com)
China ranks higher than the USA in literacy rates
-
And that’s exactly what is coming to the US, since they think workers rights and unions are the problem.
LOL what workers rights do you clowns in the US have?
-
LOL you're pulling stuff out of your ass.
They generally have it better than us, Europe.
Not even compared to the absolute shithole taht is the US where the workers rights are beyond pathetic.
You have to be ignorant, Sinophobic and spoonfed propaganda to write and belive these comments.
But then again you're american.What did i write that is sinophobic?
-
Only if they chose not to compete
The income stream would disappear, their operations would collapse and that would just be the end. There would not be another manufacturer that would flourish in the void left behind. Without the institutional know how and the existing structure, supply chain the current car manufacturing industry would never be able to restart if it ever stopped.
The social darwinism of the globalist free market is meant for crushing the spirit and bargaining power of individual workers, they are replaceable, disposable, interchangeable. General Motors and Ford aren't.
-
I don't disagree with the criticisms of American cars -- overpriced, uninspired, unreliable, over-engineered, etc. -- but to everyone saying "we should just compete", do you realize the realities that Chinese workers experience? Have you heard of 996? It's shorthand for a common work schedule in China: 9am to 9pm, 6 days a week. Benefits that are common in the U.S., even in non-union shops, like retirement plans, PTO, worker's comp, and overtime pay are rare. So, yeah, things can be made much cheaper if you are willing to feed your workforce into the grinder.
I will strongly disagree with “over engineered”. Why a car company with all their money and bailouts that they can’t compete with Apple/Android on touchscreen features and responsiveness is the whole reason why Chinese cars will kill American car companies. Chinese cars support Android auto even when Google play services isn’t even available in China (last I checked).
-
Maybe the USA should heavily invest in the industry of the USA, just like China does, in order to keep up? No, then USian companies would have oversight & have to meet expectations, and we all know that they wouldn’t want that.
-
I want Ford Escorts, Geo Metros, VW Rabbits. I want a small, uncomplicated, economy shitbox. A small cheap car that my broke ass can fix when it breaks. And no car company that makes cars in this country makes that anymore.
Mourning the loss of the Saturn in the world.
-
Maybe the USA should heavily invest in the industry of the USA, just like China does, in order to keep up? No, then USian companies would have oversight & have to meet expectations, and we all know that they wouldn’t want that.
Also labor price is unmatched. Nobody would work for the wage they give to children in China, so you can't really go that much cheaper while not sacrificing safety.
Not saying Chinese cars are that well made.
-
where our education systems can compete favorably
LOL are you sure about that?
List of Countries By Literacy Rate
The rate of literacy refers to the ability to sufficiently read and write. Many factors, such as accessibility and quality of education, can contribute to these rates.
WorldAtlas (www.worldatlas.com)
China ranks higher than the USA in literacy rates
Sure, but the US has a lot of well-educated people (e.g. see the Education Index), as well as a lot of opportunities for well-educated people to get in-demand jobs that pay well.
Literacy rates are interesting, but they don't translate to well-paying jobs like education attainment rates.
-
-
-
-
-
Time reporters were able to use Google's AI to make convincing videos of Muslims setting fire to a Hindu temple; Chinese researchers handling a bat in a wet lab; and election workers shredding ballots
Technology1
-
-
-
Tesla confirms it has given up on its Cybertruck range extender to achieve promised range
Technology1