China is building electric cars faster than any other country in the world.
Nearly seven out of every 10 new energy vehicles sold globally are made or purchased here. And in 2024 alone, China produced over 10 million EVs — more than the rest of the world combined.
They roll off assembly lines, plug into charging ports, and fill roads from glitzy metros to remote county towns. But behind every car is an invisible network: Factory workers clocking overtime to keep production moving, dealers easing consumer fears about range and repairability, and government policies fine-tuned to sustain relentless growth.
Thirty years ago, China began churning out shoes, toys, and electronics for the world. Factory towns multiplied, assembly lines expanded, and cities rose around them to drive an era of extraordinary economic growth. Policies aligned with ambition, labor flowed in from distant villages, and global demand kept the engines running.
That industrial might is now pivoting to electric vehicles. In the process, it’s not just reshaping local economies and industries, but also redefining the balance of global trade. It’s powered by a surge of government policies, including billions in subsidies and an industrial ecosystem designed to dominate any market.
The world has taken notice. First came curiosity. Then, tariffs.
In the U.S., duties have soared to 100%, effectively closing the door to Chinese car makers. In Europe, new tariffs as high as 35% threaten to undercut exports. And in Brazil, rising import taxes are already eating away at sales.
Shut out of key Western markets, Chinese brands have turned to emerging economies across Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. There, they’re racing against more established brands to build dealership networks, forge local partnerships, and navigate unpredictable regulatory landscapes, betting billions on markets with no guaranteed returns.
But the real engine of China’s EV boom remains firmly at home.
Across the country, assembly lines now run day and night, where tens of thousands of workers churn out cars destined for city streets and distant markets. In smaller cities, local governments are rewriting policies, offering subsidies, and building infrastructure in a race to grab a slice of the EV pie.
But scale comes with strain. Batteries don’t last forever, and replacing them isn’t cheap. Repair shops are racing to catch up with new technologies and proprietary software. And recycling infrastructure remains a step behind the growing mountain of discarded battery packs.
In this series, Sixth Tone travels across China to meet the people turning China into an EV nation — the workers, the dealers, and the technicians who are building, selling, and repairing China’s electric vehicles. We look at what’s working, what’s breaking down, and what remains uncertain in a race that has upended the global car market. Welcome to China’s EV boom.
See how it runs.
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