this post was submitted on 19 Jan 2026
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Trump Is Obsessed With Oil. But Chinese Batteries Will Soon Run the World (www.nytimes.com)
submitted 2 days ago by UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world to c/technology@lemmy.world
196 comments fedilink hide all child comments
 

Chinese technology companies are paving the way for a world that will be powered by electric motors rather than gas-guzzling engines. It is a decisively 21st-century approach not just to solve its own energy problems, but also to sell batteries and other electric products to everyone else. Canada is its newest buyer of EVs; in a rebuke of Mr. Trump, its prime minister, Mark Carney, lowered tariffs on the cars as part of a new trade deal.

Though Americans have been slow to embrace electric vehicles, Chinese households have learned to love them. In 2025, 54 percent of new cars sold in China were either battery-powered or plug-in hybrids. That is a big reason that the country’s oil consumption is on track to peak in 2027, according to forecasts from the International Energy Agency. And Chinese E.V makers are setting records — whether it’s BYD’s sales (besting Tesla by battery-powered vehicles sold for the first time last year) or Xiaomi’s speed (its cars are setting records at major racetracks like Nürburgring in Germany).

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[–] Auth@lemmy.world 0 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (2 children)

Can other countries forgo their climate commitments and scale up coal productions to compete in manufacturing or only China?

[–] Dekkia@this.doesnotcut.it 5 points 1 day ago (1 children)

All other countries curently forgo their climate commitments to "win" the AI race. (Whatever that even means)

[–] Auth@lemmy.world -1 points 1 day ago

Why not? For most countries there is 0 point in switching to renewables since the largest polluter in the world is still scaling coal power and currently polluting more than the 2,3,4,5,6 biggest polluters combined. India will go through similar power needs and the world can barely handle a few more years of chinese pollution let alone adding india to the mix. The US is also scaling power using fossil fuels so it looks like any efforts done by the rest of the world will be completely pointless.

[–] UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world 2 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (1 children)

Australia's economy has been in a tailspin precisely because China hasn't been buying enough coal.

Fortunately, India, Maylasia, and Indonesia have picked up the slack at the prodding of fossil fuel interests.

[–] Auth@lemmy.world 0 points 1 day ago

Not it hasnt. A small drop in exports to china isnt enough to send the austrialian economy into a tailspin. Chinese coal imports globally dropped only 9% last year (and domestic production increased to meet that deficit for all those thinking china isnt polluting the world). Keep in mind this 9% decrease comes after a record amount of coal imports in 2024.