China's Challenge: The American EV Transition: Looking Ahead While Lagging Behind China

The global electric vehicle (EV) transition is accelerating, yet the United States continues to lag behind China in adoption, affordability, and manufacturing scale. John Paul Helveston, Associate Professor of Engineering Management and Systems Engineering at The George Washington University, will examine the barriers hindering the American EV transition. Drawing on market data comparing the U.S. and Chinese EV industries, he will highlight the persistent affordability challenges facing U.S. consumers, the limited availability of lower-cost EV options, the geographic disparities in EV access across the country, and how recent policy shifts, such as the removal of key EV tax incentives in 2025 and current calls to ban Chinese vehicles, threaten to widen the competitive gap with China. He will also discuss the early factors that shaped China's entry into the EV industry, ultimately leading to their dominant global position today. Helveston will conclude with a set of policy and industry recommendations, with a particular emphasis on targeted partnerships with leading Chinese firms rather.