China’s Global EV Push Reflects Ambition and Harsh Economics at Home

A staff member attends to a customer next to a GX SUV by Chinese electric vehicle (EV) maker XPeng, at an XPeng dealership, in Beijing, China, April 23, 2026. REUTERS/Tingshu Wang
A staff member attends to a customer next to a GX SUV by Chinese electric vehicle (EV) maker XPeng, at an XPeng dealership, in Beijing, China, April 23, 2026. REUTERS/Tingshu Wang

From robotaxis to flying cars, China is on the road to bringing more of its cutting-edge vehicle technology overseas – a strategy that reflects both its global ambition and hard economic realities.

The world’s second-largest economy is also home to the world’s biggest and most advanced car market. But a brutal, multi-year price war has left the country filled to the brim with vehicles, including electric vehicles pumped out by scores of companies that are unknown in the West.

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