The UK is facing a dilemma: should it fight the rising imports of Chinese electric cars with big new tariffs, in the same way the EU has threatened to do this week? Or should it allow them to continue? Keeping open to the imports in would make it easier for the UK to hit its goal of no new petrol and diesel cars by 2030, and it would make electric cars cheaper. But the UK car industry could be damaged.
The British car industry is showing off its green electric future at a Bedfordshire racetrack, and behind the marques, some familiar, some less so, there is a new force.
A friendly man from Chinese firm BYD shows me the Atto.
“We’re really proud of this car,” says Mark Blundell. “It’s new to the market, and packed full of technology. In simple terms we can pack 50% more battery into less space.”
The car’s interior is inspired by a gym. It has a heat pump as standard, vegan leather, and strings on the door map-pocket tight enough to “get a tune out of”. The display screen on the dashboard rotates at the press of a button.
For now, hands should still be on the steering wheel, though China expects to be ahead of the game on autonomous driving too.
And the all important battery life and range? Impressive.
Read more: BBC
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