The Last Tariff Wall: How Chinese Automakers Are Positioning for a US Breakthrough
A February 2026 industry analysis argues the US is the last major auto market without significant Chinese OEM presence, but political signaling and North American trade shifts are eroding that barrier. Chinese firms’ structural advantages in EV cost and development speed, combined with a strategy of building inside tariff walls, could force US and allied OEMs to choose between defending, partnering, and accelerating transformation.