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Electric Vehicles and the China Connection
American Thinker ^ | May 30, 2025 | Stevie Clark

Posted on 05/30/2025 7:37:48 PM PDT by E. Pluribus Unum

With the Trump administration back in the White House, America has an opportunity to restore commonsense energy and manufacturing policies after years of radical environmental overreach. One of the most glaring examples of this overreach is the electric vehicle (EV) push -- a movement championed by progressive elites that, under the guise of sustainability, threatens to undermine national security, weaken domestic industry, and entangle our economy further with the Chinese Communist Party.

The EV revolution is not a grassroots innovation born out of market demand. It is a politically engineered shift, heavily subsidized by taxpayer dollars and driven by mandates from the EPA and individual states like California. The Biden-era Inflation Reduction Act funneled billions into EV subsidies, distorting the free market and compelling automakers to invest in a technology that many consumers neither asked for nor trust.

But the deeper issue with this green agenda isn't just economic -- it's geopolitical. The vast majority of materials required for EV batteries -- lithium, cobalt, nickel, and graphite -- are either mined or processed in China or in countries where China holds a controlling stake. According to a 2022 report from the International Energy Agency (IEA), China controls more than 70% of the global production capacity for battery-grade materials and dominates nearly 80% of global battery cell manufacturing.

So, while the Left claims EVs will free us from "Big Oil," they are in fact pushing us headlong into a new dependency: one tethered not to democratic allies or the domestic energy sector, but to the whims of an authoritarian regime in Beijing.

China's dominance in EV supply chains is no accident. It is the result of deliberate long-term planning by the CCP, which has poured state funds into mining operations, battery plants, and strategic partnerships in Africa, South America, and Asia. American...

(Excerpt) Read more at americanthinker.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; China; Foreign Affairs; Front Page News; Government; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS:
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1 posted on 05/30/2025 7:37:48 PM PDT by E. Pluribus Unum
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

Naive Fools join with intentional grifters.


2 posted on 05/30/2025 7:42:16 PM PDT by hal ogen (First Amendment or Reeducation Camp?)
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

Thanks a bunch Elon, for leading the EV Revolution.

You can say, “Hate the game, not the player”.

But any businessman of weight whose entire model is based on a completely and utterly corrupt system needs to be held accountable in some way.


3 posted on 05/30/2025 7:42:57 PM PDT by bakeneko
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To: bakeneko

Not gonna happen, the grift is too strong.


4 posted on 05/30/2025 8:03:54 PM PDT by Theoria
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To: Theoria

I think the forced EV adoption has been hobbled if not stopped with the last election.


5 posted on 05/30/2025 8:24:33 PM PDT by iamgalt
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

If the car was made in China, it’s collecting data on you every way possible.


6 posted on 05/30/2025 8:29:47 PM PDT by Jonty30 (I have invented a pen that can write underwater. And other words. )
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To: bakeneko

Unlike Gates, Musk has came around with saving X and supporting Trump. Trump himself certainly took advantage of the tax law over the years.


7 posted on 05/30/2025 8:56:00 PM PDT by alternatives?
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

Musk made and is making billions selling “carbon credits” to car companies so they can artificially increase their average mpg. Global warming, climate change is a scam.


8 posted on 05/30/2025 9:24:32 PM PDT by minnesota_bound (Need more money to buy everything now)
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To: alternatives?

“Trump himself certainly took advantage of the tax law over the years.”

Tax law regarding what? Not EVs which is the subject here. This post smells like a “But Trump...” troll job.


9 posted on 05/30/2025 10:02:44 PM PDT by rxh4n1
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To: All

Heads up people.

There are some somewhat quiet announcements from the entire United States car industry informing Washington that China has shut off export of neodymium magnets. Neodymium is a rare Earth element and frankly it is the most important one.
Neodymium magnets are many times stronger than iron based magnets.

It is neodymium that brought us cordless drills. It is why all of a sudden about 10 to 20 years ago all electric motors suddenly got much stronger. There was no spectacular increase in engineering. It was simply that neodymium arrived on the scene.

China is pretty much the only producer. They are sending a signal that the White House dares not allow to become two very public, and that signal is you will fold in all of your strategies or you will set your technology back about 30 years.


10 posted on 05/30/2025 10:06:50 PM PDT by Owen
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To: Owen

Yes, you are correct. BUT: there are neodymium deposits in the USA as well, which could have production ramped up in short order. Here’s a story about one of those deposits:

https://www.mining.com/u-s-critical-materials-unveils-highest-grade-neodymium-deposit-in-the-us/


11 posted on 05/30/2025 10:46:44 PM PDT by Jubal Harshaw
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

There has never been organic demand for EVs. They have always been shoved down our throats by a treasonous government pushing Leftism. One day there will be organic demand when battery tech and ample fast charging stations are far enough along that EVs are generally the equal of ICE vehicles but the entire development cycle of EVs has been shoved down our throat at massive taxpayer cost. Musk was brilliant to suckle on the teat of this massive taxpayer gift. Or should I say grift? I am not bashing Musk. All he did was take advantage of government corruption. He didn’t cause it.


12 posted on 05/31/2025 4:11:08 AM PDT by Freedom_Is_Not_Free (America -- July 4, 1776 to November 3, 2020 -- R.I.P.)
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To: bakeneko

easy - dont buy his stuff


13 posted on 05/31/2025 4:32:26 AM PDT by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
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To: Jonty30

The Chinese just came out with a new balloon called the GLOBETROTTER


14 posted on 05/31/2025 4:33:39 AM PDT by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
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To: minnesota_bound

Why are you blaming Musk??

https://carboncredits.com/the-ultimate-guide-to-understanding-carbon-credits/


15 posted on 05/31/2025 4:36:15 AM PDT by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
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To: minnesota_bound

I see you were right in your statement. but he didn’t invent them, governments did.

Elon Musk’s Tesla earned a record 2.8 billion dollars in 2024 from trading in regulatory carbon credits, according to figures published late on Wednesday. The company earns money by selling these credits to manufacturers producing fossil fuel vehicles, so they can hit environmental targets.


16 posted on 05/31/2025 4:38:22 AM PDT by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
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To: minnesota_bound
... heavily subsidized by taxpayer dollars...
17 posted on 05/31/2025 4:39:14 AM PDT by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
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To: Freedom_Is_Not_Free
They have always been shoved down our throats by a treasonous government pushing Leftism.
18 posted on 05/31/2025 4:40:23 AM PDT by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
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To: bakeneko

Don’t be an ass......


19 posted on 05/31/2025 4:48:18 AM PDT by trebb (So many fools - so little time...)
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To: E. Pluribus Unum; Owen; Jubal Harshaw; All

Thanks for posting.


20 posted on 05/31/2025 5:38:12 AM PDT by PGalt (Past Peak Civilization?)
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