Detroit sees China’s EV dominance but is stuck in neutral

Detroit’s automakers know China is overtaking them in electric vehicles—but they cannot change direction fast enough. A recent visit to Oslo, Norway, revealed just how far the EV revolution has spread. Electric taxis were everywhere. This is no surprise: Norway has long led the world in EV adoption. In 2025, government subsidies helped electric cars reach 95.9% of all new car sales there. China has become the global leader in EV production and sales, benefiting from massive state support and a vast domestic market. American automakers, by contrast, face higher costs, supply chain limits, and political pressure that slow their transition. The result is a widening gap. While Chinese EVs flood markets in Europe, Asia, and beyond, Detroit’s traditional automakers struggle to offer competitive models at similar prices. They recognize the threat—but their current strategies are not enough to catch up. Without a major shift in policy or corporate strategy, the United States risks falling further behind in the next generation of automobile manufacturing.