Electric vehicles: why the West needs China’s battery prowess as it moves to build supply-chain capacity
- The process of deglobalisation for Western battery producers is likely to be lengthy and turbulent, with challenges at each stage of the supply chain, says analyst
- It will be interesting to see how Chinese players and global carmakers balance need for supply-chain security with geopolitical risks, says Fitch executive
At the Shanghai Auto Show, Fuzhou Lianhong Motor Parts’ sales director Chen Zhiqiang performs the final tests on the eight-way movements of his company’s flagship car seat before clearing it for display.
Chen, exhibiting his company’s products for the third time, is betting on white-hot competition in China’s electric vehicle (EV) industry to push more carmakers to reach for Lianhong’s catalogue, as they increasingly market their vehicles as smart cars.
“Chinese automotive firms are leading the development of the global industry,” said Chen, whose 184 sq ft exhibition space is squeezed between ride-hailing giant DiDi Global and state-owned China non-ferrous Metals (Tianjin) New Material Technology.
“Our seats are of a better quality and are cheaper, [so] we deserve more orders.”
