By betting everything on electric, China has created new car graveyards

AFP/Archives – Martin BUREAU An assembly line for Renault Zoe and Nissan Micra electric cars in May 2020 in Flins-sur-Seine.

Behind the green screen and special effects, China’s electric vehicle revolution reveals a monumental waste and a fragile government strategy. On the outskirts of cities, thousands of new electric cars lie unused. 

To dominate the electric industry, China has invested colossal sums since the 2010s. Massive subsidies, a proliferation of start-ups, and a frantic race for innovation have made it possible to produce six million electric and hybrid vehicles by 2022. Yet this success hides a fragile model. 

As reported by Futura Sciences, even as the Chinese automobile industry flourishes, thousands of new cars are piling up on the outskirts of cities. Che fields of abandoned vehicles illustrate the flaws of a policy that favors quantity over quality. After all, you don't change a winning team. The problem is that prototypes become obsolete, tons of models remain unsold, and a series of bankruptcies testify to overproduction encouraged by poorly calibrated state aid.

Especially since unbridled competition has pushed many companies to fight for market share, creating an avalanche of low-end products that are quickly outdated. The result: a monumental waste that obviously goes completely against the supposedly ecological objective of electric vehicles. Not only is the industry running at full speed, but the millions of batteries produced are not recyclable. Despite everything, the government persists. In 2023, he announced 66 billion euros in new subsidies.

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