Google may be off pursuing autonomous commuter pods, but another Internet-related company in China as decided to take on Tesla directly in the EV game.
Forbes reports Leshi Internet Information and Technology Co., a concern that makes Internet TVs and set-top boxes, will begin building electric vehicles under what chairman and president Jia Yueting calls the “Super Electric Eco-System.” Jia and his representative in Los Angeles, Luo Qimei, both said the results of the program — which has been in the works since the early days of 2014 — will best those of Tesla and other western companies.
Leshi is entering the game amid weak demand for EVs in China, linked to a lack of sufficient infrastructure and local protectionism barriers. The Chinese government are attempting to build-up demand by providing tax breaks for consumers who buy from local automakers such as BYD, along with ordering government officials to use more EVs. That said, Leshi believes it will stand out among the competition, though Luo won’t say how much her company will invest into making it so.
Tesla has been at this for a decade. I think catching up with them in a year is wishful thinking unless they have hacked Tesla’s technology by stealing it off Tesla’s servers. Even then, Tesla still has a formidable lead. The Chinese government failed to jump start it’s EV industry by restricting the export of rare earth metals, but that too was a failure.
This kind of protectionism just doesn’t work.
re: ‘… unless they have hacked Tesla’s technology by stealing it off Tesla’s servers.’
That’s a given.
No need eh? Remember “Our patents are belong to you”
Oh, that’s right (I must have been thinking of the F-35 data). Have a hunch Tesla kept some ‘family jewels’ for itself, but makes no difference.
Yes I’m sure they kept the EV equivalent of the ignition rotor to themselves :-) As you say the Chinese will have to pedal much harder to keep up with Tesla, never mind catch up.
I love how foreign companies make these kinds of statements. There’s no evidence to back it up, and not much of anything which can be proved.
But by God they’re gonna beat Tesla almost immediately. I mean they have been at it a year, so no big surprise!
Chinese automotive vaporware
Tesla should retaliate by announcing it will start making TVs and set top boxes.
Between a bragging match between Elon Musk and Jia Yueting, my bet is solid on Elon.
Yeah!! Merge with Apple and its a done deal. Apple needs a replacement for Jobs anyway.
Tesla Bluetooth speakers that run a year on a charge. Nyah-Nyah, Chine!
It is easy to do if you buy parts and platforms, established assembly lines, and just slap your own logo on it.
I don’t see how it will work financially if they are not government sponsored for national pride reason.