“China is the only one in the race; it’s all Chinese manufacturers,” said Sandra Retzer, the Beijing-based head of sustainable mobility at the German Agency for International Cooperation, which is working with the Chinese government to develop green transportation, referring to the commercial electric-vehicle market. “German cities are tendering for electric buses now, and there’s no German offer.” Electric vehicles are at the heart of Beijing’s Made in China 2025 industrial strategy, which calls for manufacturers to achieve dominance at home and success abroad in critical future technologies. Some Chinese auto makers have emphasized commercial EV development because they hope an early lead in the segment could eventually translate into success in the larger passenger market—and having almost no foreign competition at home for commercial EVs has helped them build early momentum. China also is forging ahead in its adoption of electric passenger cars : 746,000 were sold in […]