Come on! No! China’s Love Affair with the Car Shuns Green Vehicles

Posted on August 25, 2011 by yiqi

I’ve been a huge supporter of the “green movement” spearheaded by the Chinese government. Ask anyone who’s attended one of my talks/discussions. I love rubbing it in the faces of the “developed nations” of the world, bringing up numbers and statistics showing how the Chinese have exceeded everyone else in terms of investment in clean technology.

I’ve also been a huge defender of the carbon emissions that have been blamed on the Chinese. After all, it’s not their fault that every single manufacturer in the world has moved operations to China.

Unfortunately, my fellow Chinese peeps have let me down somewhat.

From guardian.co.uk:

“Country overtakes the US to become world’s largest automobile market, as global sales pass the 1bn mark.”

“Beijing used to be famous for the millions of bicycles thronging its streets. But it is the success of the motor car there and in other Chinese mega-cities that has now tipped the number of cars in the world over the 1bn mark.”

“But hopes that the country will also become a pioneer in the shift towards ‘clean car’ technology have suffered a setback as the Chinese show little sign of interest in electric and hybrid vehicles despite ambitious government plans. Last year, Toyota managed to sell only one Prius – the world’s most commercially successful hybrid car – in the fastest-growing market. Sports utility vehicle sales, by contrast, are surging.”

ONE Prius in all of China? ONE!?

I wouldn’t be surprised if at least one Prius is sold in Singapore a week! Even at the lofty price of almost $150,000. Don’t tell me it’s because we’re affluent here in Singapore. There are more new millionaires in China than anywhere in the world!

My solution: Make electric cars sexy. Skip the Prius and similar automobiles entirely. Bring on the Tesla. Make China the test-bed for all the new sexy electric vehicles around. That would force companies to provide the infrastructure necessary for the exponential growth of electric/hybrid vehicles adoption in China.

Further, with all those assets in China looking for an avenue to be spent, one wonders why not more R&D firms have followed the manufacturing bandwagon and shifted to China. Set up a Silicone Valley, China style.

Broaden your minds my friends from the West. Get off your self-indulgent, paranoid, over-protective bottoms and move East. Reap the benefits of my wisdom.

Good morning my friends.