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Wan Gang, the visionary behind China’s electric vehicle surge, sees European collaboration as a promising path forward.
HEFEI, China — Wan Gang, widely recognized as the architect of China’s electric vehicle (EV) strategy, suggested on Wednesday that Chinese investment in Europe’s EV industry could benefit both regions amidst ongoing trade disputes.
“I believe the governments of China and the European Union are now considering how, through negotiations, to combine investment with commodity trading,” said Wan Gang, currently the president of the China Association for Science and Technology. Wan made these remarks via an official English translation during a panel at the World Economic Forum’s “Summer Davos” meeting in Dalian, China. Representatives from China’s Foreign Ministry and the European Commission were not immediately available for comment when contacted by CNBC.
This weekend, China’s Ministry of Commerce announced it would initiate consultations with the EU regarding the bloc’s investigation into subsidies for Chinese electric cars. Earlier this month, the EU declared its intention to increase tariffs on vehicle imports from China.
“Even if we are not exporting a large number of electric vehicles, perhaps Chinese companies can try to invest in Europe,” Wan suggested, highlighting that such investments could generate local employment opportunities.
Wan, who became China’s minister of science and technology around 2007, is known for leading the country’s pioneering efforts in electric vehicles. Reflecting on his past, he noted that when China joined the World Trade Organization in 2001, he had already spent about 15 years working in Germany, including a stint at Audi, and had experienced several periods of oil price volatility.
He recalled that in 2001, the Chinese government set a goal of developing a “moderately prosperous society,” which envisioned every family owning a car. However, Wan foresaw that an increase in fuel-powered vehicles would strain Beijing’s ability to maintain a stable gas supply and exacerbate pollution.
Wan emphasized that China’s development of an electric car strategy was driven by a focus on national survival rather than competition. This year, the United States also increased tariffs on Chinese electric car imports, criticizing Beijing’s policies for disproportionately favoring domestic companies over foreign competitors.
Wan recounted that China had asked him to return from Germany more than 20 years ago to begin researching electric cars. By around 2010, severe air pollution in Chinese cities accelerated efforts to adopt electric vehicles, starting with buses and taxis.
Today, new-energy vehicles — including battery-powered and hybrid cars — account for over a third of new passenger car sales in China, according to local passenger association data. However, Wan stressed that more needs to be done to alleviate drivers’ range anxiety by enhancing vehicle technology to automatically find charging stations and improving road safety with driver-assistance features.
Wan concluded by asserting that the development of electric cars is an “irreversible trend” globally and emphasized the necessity of steadfast commitment to progress despite challenges.
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