SAN FRANCISCO, March 1 (Xinhua) -- China is capable of building world-class electric vehicles thanks to the proactive engagement on the part of its tech companies, an auto industry expert has said.
"I do see the possibility for China to build world-class (electric) vehicles because of the entrance of these really smart tech companies," said Michael Dunne, CEO of ZoZo Go, a Hong Kong-based global auto advisory firm with expertise in China and auto tech, in a recent interview with Xinhua in Silicon Valley.
The tech companies he referred to include Baidu, Alibaba and Tencent, the three Chinese internet giants collectively known as BAT in the tech industry, which have invested heavily in developing autonomous driving technologies.
Dunne reaffirms the industry expectation that the first wave of Chinese cars is expected to hit the U.S. roads in 2020.
"It's not low-end, affordable and small cars like Japanese or Korean cars. It's high-end, premium cars," said Dunne.
He cited the NIO ES8, what he called "China's 65,000-U.S. dollar Tesla," as an example. "It's very much like the Tesla I drive," he said. The smart voice assistance system also enables the driver to turn on air conditioning or open sunroof, he said.
Founded in 2014, the Chinese electric vehicle maker NIO is building a "sophisticated, connected, world-class" car, said Dunne, who has worked at General Motors to run its Indonesian operations.
"The dynamic is changed," said Dunne, noting that Chinese government, welcoming electric vehicles as a more environmentally-friendly option, encourages these tech companies to engage in auto tech innovation.
"It's the first time that NIO, Byton and others, which are pure tech ... and privately-owned, moving very fast with ambition," said Dunne.
At the same time, he cautioned that Chinese auto companies need to overcome some challenges in order to be successful in the United States.
The Chinese companies should first have good communication with local governments and officials, he said. "We want to be a good citizen, we want to be visible, we want to communicate openly," he said.
Secondly, they need to work hard to win over the American consumers who have many choices, said Dunne. "The American consumers are spoiled," he said.
Dunne added: "I think the U.S. automakers are aware of how powerful the Chinese automakers can be and they would prepare accordingly. They have an eye on that: how do we compete with the Chinese when they come to the U.S.?"
