William Li, CEO and founder of NIO, seen as a rival to Tesla in China, has urged the U.S. government to grant Chinese electric vehicles (EVs) equal access to the American market. He voiced concerns over the increasing political tensions between the two superpowers affecting business transactions.
In an interview with the Financial Times, Li argued against the politicization of business, expressing dismay over the disparity between the warm reception Elon Musk, Tesla’s CEO, received from Chinese officials last month and the obstacles Chinese companies face when attempting to sell their high-tech cars in America.
“The world should be more open and stop politicising business,” Li said, emphasizing that more than three-quarters of NIO’s investors come from outside China and that the company is listed in New York.
Li’s concerns echo the uncertainty that several emerging Chinese EV manufacturers like BYD, Xpeng, and Li Auto are experiencing over foreign market access as they aggressively seek to expand overseas. With the world’s largest car market, China, becoming extremely competitive following Musk’s initiation of a price war last year, exports have become increasingly important for Chinese EV companies.
The U.S. market access is particularly challenging due to high tariffs on Chinese vehicles and uncertainty surrounding the treatment of Chinese-branded vehicles and China-made EV components under President Joe Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act. This act is aimed at promoting domestic manufacturing and reducing American economic dependency on China.
Despite these hurdles, Li remains optimistic, stating, “Chinese consumers have a wide range of [new energy vehicles] to choose from. Why can’t these products be enjoyed by US consumers as well?”
Li’s call for improved U.S. market access comes at a crucial time as China is anticipated to surpass Japan as the world’s largest car exporter this year. However, given the obstacles to the U.S. market, NIO and its fellow Chinese EV makers are shifting their focus to Europe, incentivized by new emissions rules promoting a rapid transition to EVs.
