China's EV Playbook: What the U.S. Should Copy—and Avoid

China's electric vehicle (EV) industry is now a global leader. Its rapid rise was fueled by massive state support. For the United States, which is also investing heavily in domestic EV production, this history is a critical case study. Experts say the U.S. must carefully examine China's strategy. The goal is to identify which tactics worked, which caused problems, and how to build a competitive industry. China's methods included long-term subsidies for both manufacturers and buyers. It also invested heavily in a nationwide network of charging stations. This created a strong domestic market first. However, this led to a crowded field of companies, with some surviving only because of government aid. The U.S. can learn clear lessons. Emulating China's focus on building charging infrastructure is widely seen as positive. Large, consistent consumer incentives also boosted early adoption. But the U.S. may want to avoid replicating China's early market fragmentation. Letting only the most efficient companies thrive could build a stronger sector. The ultimate lesson is about smart competition: using public funds to build a stable market, not to keep unviable companies alive.