Inbe4 Chinese EVs will be the luxury items only the richer consumers can afford(tarifs and supply) in the US.
That's exactly what I predicted would happen. It's like the German autos becoming symbols of luxury while they're just taxis in Germany. If you're actually the best then elevating the price with tariffs and whatnot will just make it into a status symbol. That's why I believe some Chinese manufacturers should go through the steps and make their cars road legal in the US and set up a small supply chain for spare parts.
Yangwang, LiAuto, Nio should all do that. They would sell very few cars, but the few they sell will be highly visible. The people who buy them won't care about having to overnight spare parts from China to keep the car running. They probably won't make money on these ventures, but think of it more like marketing. Lebron James rolling up to Staples Center in an U8, or Scarlett Johansson ferrying kids around in a Mega would help establish the brand around the world, possibly even in the US. That way, if they do set up production in the US with its associated higher costs, which may be possible under Trump, they can still sell them at a premium.
