Even though China has outperformed the U.S. in terms of commercializing EVs and developing affordable models, the global EV movement has largely been spearheaded by Tesla. When Elon Musk’s company launched in China in 2019, it set early standards for software, range, charging capabilities and manufacturing, sparking an intense rivalry that’s playing out even today. As Tesla plans to deploy its Full-Self Driving (FSD) suite of driver assistance features in China, it is also spearheading another wave of competition among automakers in the country.
