Calls for a ban on China-made electric vehicles have escalated in recent weeks following the launch of an investigation in February into whether such products present a risk to the U.S. economy.
While lawmakers have floated additional tariffs on Chinese automotive imports, Ohio Senator and Democrat Sherrod Brown became one of the first in Congress to promote the idea of prohibiting sales of any China-made EV. “I’m calling for a complete ban on Chinese electric vehicles in America,” wrote Brown on X, formerly known as Twitter. “We cannot allow China to bring its government-backed cheating to the American auto industry.” In separate remarks, the Senator, also Chair of the Senate Banking Committee, called China-made EVs an “existential threat to the American auto industry.”
Earlier this year, Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump said he would implement a 100% tariff on Chinese auto imports. At present, China’s car industry does not sell its products in the U.S., although it does have a presence in Mexico.
Several political leaders have warned about the possible risks linked with Chinese cars. Some of them have suggested that Chinese carmakers could use vehicle data to spy on drivers. However, Leaders of the U.S. car industry primarily focus on how China’s access to cheap labor and raw materials could threaten American businesses, and Brown shares their concerns.
During February’s Wolfe Research conference, Ford CEO Jim Farley discussed a budget-friendly electric vehicle called the Seagull, which China’s BYD manufactures. Noting the model was “pretty damn good,” Farley went on to warn that if legacy OEMs fail to account for the threat posed by BYD and other Chinese automakers, “then 20% to 30% of [their] revenue is at risk.” In March, BYD lowered the price of the Seagull below the $10,000 mark in its domestic market, making it one of the most affordable electrified options in the world.
