Surpassing China Unlikely Even with 'Unprecedented' EVs... Shocking Analysis That Only 'Niche Markets' Remain

An electric vehicle that leaps into the air to clear five cars and accelerates from a standstill to about 97 km/h in just 0.81 seconds.

This is the next-generation sports car, the Roadster, recently unveiled by Tesla.

However, major U.S. media outlets evaluated the unveiling of this Roadster as more than just a technological innovation, calling it a symbolic scene showing changes in the global automotive industry.

They noted that as Chinese automakers expand their influence in the global market with affordable electric vehicles, Western automakers are attempting to differentiate themselves with ultra-expensive, high-performance vehicles.

Regarding the Roadster, The Wall Street Journal pointed out, "Flying is not the point," and evaluated that "by unveiling the surreal tech Roadster, Musk has reaffirmed that he has given up on making cars that ordinary people can drive."

It also offered the interpretation that Tesla is effectively handing over the mainstream automotive market to China.

This movement is not unique to Tesla.

Porsche of Germany and Jaguar of Britain, which have been struggling with sluggish sales in the Chinese market, have also recently unveiled ultra-high-end luxury models that are superior to their existing ones.

The New York Times analyzed these moves as an attempt to differentiate from Chinese companies that are dominating the affordable electric vehicle market.

The greatest weapon of Chinese automakers is price competitiveness.

Based on low-interest loans, land and energy support provided by the Chinese government, and relatively low production costs, they are able to produce vehicles more cheaply than Western companies.

Elon Musk also warned in 2024 that without trade barriers, Chinese automakers could demolish most other car companies in the world.

Automotive industry consultant Michael Dunne projected to The Wall Street Journal that Western car manufacturers could transform into companies targeting niche markets in the future.

The analysis suggests that because Chinese companies are cutting production costs to the extreme, the only choices left for Western companies are to go upscale or be pushed out of the market.

However, U.S. media added that even with high-end strategies, it remains skeptical whether models like the Tesla Roadster can actually be mass-produced by 2028 and whether they can generate significant profits through ultra-expensive vehicles.

Reported by Kim Minjeong | Video by Jang Yujin | Graphics by Lee Jeongju | Produced by SBS Digital News
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.