231. Car Wars: China vs. the West - Jun26

About this episode

The episode discusses the contrasting trajectories of the auto industries in China and the United States, featuring insights from expert Michael Dunne.

The global auto industry is splitting into two very different worlds — what legendary auto expert Michael Dunne calls “a tale of two countries.” Dunne, CEO of Dunne Insights LLC , has spent decades at the centre of the industry, including leadership roles as President of General Motors Indonesia and Managing Director of JD Power China. On one side stands the United States, increasingly resembling a modern-day Cuba: a market dominated by oversized, fuel-hungry SUVs aimed at a shrinking audience, while legacy automakers squeeze the last profits from internal combustion engines. Last year alone, Detroit’s Big Three wrote off more than $50 billion in EV investments. On the other side is China, moving at extraordinary speed and scale. The recent Beijing Auto Show showcased the country’s relentless innovation: 38 hectares of exhibition space — roughly 50 football fields — featuring 1,451 vehicles, including 181 world debuts, and attracting 1.3 million visitors, with only 65,000 coming from overseas. It is no longer just about BYD. Chinese giants such as Geely, SAIC, and FAW have caught up rapidly, transforming China into a market where internal combustion vehicles already feel like an…

People in this episode

Hosts: Laurent Segalen, Gerard Reid

Guest: Michael Dunne

Topics covered

• auto industry
• China vs. West
• electric vehicles
• market trends
• innovation
• automakers

Keywords

• auto industry
• China
• United States
• electric vehicles
• market trends
• innovation
• automakers
• SUVs
• BYD

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Dunne Insights LLC, General Motors, JD Power, BYD, Geely, SAIC, FAW, Toyota, Tesla, Honda

Places: United States, China

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