In 2020, China exported about a million cars a year. Now, it’s tracking somewhere around twelve million — surpassing the historic peaks of giants like Japan and Germany. 

Yet this massive global shift feels nearly invisible in the U.S. A 100% tariff on Chinese vehicles, combined with strict rules keeping Chinese hardware and software off American roads, has effectively built a regulatory wall around the domestic market. But in virtually every other corner of the globe, Chinese automakers are dramatically reshaping markets — from Europe and Southeast Asia to Latin America and Canada.

In this episode, Shayle sits down with Michael Dunne, the CEO of Dunne Insights and author of the upcoming book Car Wars. Shayle and Michael map out the chaotic dynamics of the global auto market and consider what’s actually happening inside China’s automotive powerhouse. And they explore the biggest question of all: can America permanently shield legacy automakers, or is it just delaying an inevitable wave?

Shayle and Michael discuss topics including:

- How China successfully applied its massive manufacturing capacity to the automobile industry.

- The market forces governing China’s massive car exports

- Unpacking the two tiers of Chinese automakers: Legacy scale giants like BYD, Geely, and SAIC versus the "Teslas of China” like Xiaomi, Xpeng, Leapmotor, and Nio.

- Why China’s expansion is already forcing major European and Japanese automakers to plan for closures and layoffs.

- How regulatory frameworks in China are accelerating the commercialization of autonomous driving far quicker than in the U.S.

- Concerns over cybersecurity in Chinese automobiles

- Driving with Dunne podcast

- Catalyst: Repurposing EV batteries for grid storage

- Catalyst: Demystifying the Chinese EV market

- Catalyst: Has Humble Robotics cracked the code on autonomous trucking?

- Open Circuit: The AI race is really an electro-industrial race, led by China

- Latitude Media: Rivian and EnergyHub are teaming up on managed charging

Credits: Hosted by Shayle Kann. Produced and edited by Max Savage Levenson. Original music and engineering by Sean Marquand. Stephen Lacey is our executive editor.

Tune into Critical Capital, a brand new podcast from Crux and Latitude Studios. Hosted by Crux CEO Alfred Johnson, Critical Capital explores the interlocking forces powering clean and critical infrastructure. Join us every other Tuesday for in-depth conversations at the intersection of energy, government, finance, and global markets. Listen here, or wherever you get podcasts.

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