The Business Times
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EVs at a crossroads: innovation vs trust

Talk about electric vehicles was once driven by new model launches, charismatic founders and delivery figures; today, it is shaped by public policy

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    • Chinese giants such as BYD, Nio and SAIC are reshaping competition in the EV market. A decade of top-down coordination in China has created a powerful feedback loop between adoption and innovation.
    • Chinese giants such as BYD, Nio and SAIC are reshaping competition in the EV market. A decade of top-down coordination in China has created a powerful feedback loop between adoption and innovation. PHOTO: BLOOMBERG

    Tefik Lajthia

    Published Wed, Oct 8, 2025 · 03:47 PM

    PUBLIC discourse around electric vehicles (EVs) has shifted. Reputational trust is beginning to sputter. 

    Political dysfunction, trade tensions and safety concerns increasingly outweigh traditional drivers like price and performance. While innovation still excites markets such as India and Germany, global sentiment about EVs is fragmenting.

    The greatest threat to EV momentum is now political instability. For companies in this space, understanding where trust is heading, and why, is essential.

    Electric vehiclesGeopoliticsconsumer confidence

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