Posted on 05/24/2026 11:28:21 AM PDT by Red Badger
1,102,210 views May 12, 2026 Everyone online keeps saying Chinese EVs are cheap knockoffs that could never compete with Tesla, Mercedes, BMW, or the rest of the world. So I flew 9,000 miles to China to see for myself.
From self-driving cars and massive EV factories to battery technology and infrastructure that honestly shocked me, this trip completely changed the way I look at the future of electric cars. I thought I knew what to expect… I was wrong.
We got a behind the scenes look at CATL and the battery tech powering the future of electric cars. EV batteries are changing fast, and CATL is a huge part of why.
We checked out XPeng’s electric cars in China to see what the future of EVs might look like and whether these cars live up to the hype.
AI-generated video summary | Quality and accuracy may vary.
Rich Rebuilds explores China's electric vehicle infrastructure, from advanced battery technology and swap stations to diverse transportation options in Guangzhou. This journey examines the rapid development of self-driving hardware and safety standards within the local automotive industry, comparing these experiences with North American expectations.
(Excerpt) Read more at youtube.com ...
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what I hear is that the chinese ev’s are every bit as good as teslas but they are not as safe. also they are not as profitable. that gap is made up by the chinese government but chinese suppliers to the chinese ev companies can wait a very very long time to get paid.
I would be worried the cameras would send all the info to the communists and that it could burst into flames at any moment.
I am struck that there is no mention of the spying capabilities with Chinese EV linked wwith continuous to China. My understanding is that even China mqade EV from Canada will not be aallowed to cross the border. A cursory search finds multiple articles US, Canadian and UK expressing substantial concern on the aspect of electric vehicles functioning as “driving surveillance packages”.
If not for Government interference electric cars would be a miniscule part of the market. They are heavier than most cars and when they get in a wreck if they catch fire water does not put out that fire. A ship carrying electric cars had to be abandoned when a fire started on board .
I think it is possible to leave a back door in the EV batteries. It is common knowledge that these cars, once they ignite, are almost impossible to put out.
The Obama-produced movie “Leave the World Behind” on Netflix hints at this.
Everything out of China is either poisoned or a lie.
“I would be worried the cameras would send all the info to the communists and that it could burst into flames at any moment.”
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Yes, the electronics could be rigged to be triggered to cause that on command… kind of like pagers could be rigged to explode upon being triggered by a page from a specific number. But those things would never happen. /sarc
2027 all US new cars will be surveillance packages, just going to a different data center.
China needs useful paid idiots to push the EV.
Nobody wants them
China has a huge fixed cost (very little variable cost) to build EV’s. They need global volume to achieve a reasonable cost per unit.
Parts access? Service network? If those are missing there’s no way anyone should buying. The Chinese penetrate a market with cheap stuff that breaks and there’s no way to fix it.
Another YouTuber who combines photography and car culture tour a Chinese factory making replica bodies for collectible cats (240Z, Corolla AE86, landcruiser etc)
There was no political anything. What I saw was a clean factory with honest, smart people doing the jobs in the environment that we as Americans used to do.
It’s inspiring.
But then I took a look at the building, the equipment, the gear and materials. It would cost about 200 million before a single piece was made.
That is too high for the American entrepreneur. Only the big guys can do that, and outside of Musk those big guys only want investment opportunities. Not product. Just money.
In China nothing is real.
“From self-driving cars and massive EV factories to battery technology and infrastructure that honestly shocked me, this trip completely changed the way I look at the future of electric cars. I thought I knew what to expect… I was wrong.” That’s what I want a Chinese made self-driving car.
Nothing critical of that factory would've been allowed to leave China.
My string of Christmas lights says wash your hands after handling as they are loaded with lead.
>> tour a Chinese factory making replica bodies for collectible cats
Have to admit I puzzled over that for a full minute before realizing it was a typo...🤣
My Sokoke says hello to your Bengal.
EVs will become practical when you have a bunch of easily replaceable batteries in your car.
You pop into your local EV “gas station” and trade your ten depleted batteries and cash for ten fully charged batteries that can be easily popped into place.
No long waits, all recharging work done by the businesses that provide your fully charged batteries, doing it when you are no longer there.
WHEN DATA CENTERS GET ALL THE POWER & WATER-—IT WILL NOT MATTER WHAT YOU DRIVE.
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