Ford CEO traveled to China.

[BMWTurboDzl]

There's a great article in the WSJ about his trip and what he saw.

Also Mercedes sold off its remaining stake in a Chinese automaker.

Cliff notes: Chinese manufacturers are offering better SW and driving experience for less. Ford is going to build smaller vehicles which allows for smaller/cheaper batteries as well as trying to use same suppliers as Chinese companies.

 

[TheOilWizard]

I read that this morning. Not even a little surprising.

Some people have the outdated and misguided view that everything from China is low quality, but the American/Japanese/European manufactures better stay on their toes to compete in the future. These vehicles are high quality and continue to improve at a rapid pace.

 

[JeffKeryk]

China is a manufacturing powerhouse. China is our enemy.
Regarding software, we need to educate more people or cede the world to China.
I get the feeling many do not understand the importance of software, in particular AI.

There is, thankfully, a current trend to being Semiconductor Manufacturing to Arizona and other US cities via the CHIPS and Science Act. Progress has been delayed; you know why? There's not enough qualified talent, among other things.

 

[levi]

China is a manufacturing powerhouse. China is our enemy.

This.

 

[wpod]

This.

China, Russia, North Korea or Iran did not put the USA into 35 trillion in debt.

 

[levi]

China, Russia, North Korea or Iran did not put the USA into 35 trillion in debt.

And yet China is still our enemy.

 

[SC Maintenance]

Jim Farley must be the dumbest CEO in the history of CEO's.

First he spends billions of shareholders money on building a Mach E, then is shocked on how it actually works because he never used an EV before. So he makes a video about his stupidity.

So now he finally gets off his duff and goes to China, the place that makes and uses the most EV's on Earth. Just now he gets around to going?

How is this guy still employed. He clearly has pictures of someone.

 

[Dinoburner]

How many US citizens own property in China? How many Chinese citizens own property in the US some of it in sensitive areas?

 

[JeffKeryk]

How many US citizens own property in China? How many Chinese citizens own property in the US some of it in sensitive areas?

The bigger point is, do we wanna compete? I sure do. The answer is support of higher education and hard work.

 

[KGMtech]

Jim Farley must be the dumbest CEO in the history of CEO's.

First he spends billions of shareholders money on building a Mach E, then is shocked on how it actually works because he never used an EV before. So he makes a video about his stupidity.

So now he finally gets off his duff and goes to China, the place that makes and uses the most EV's on Earth. Just now he gets around to going?

How is this guy still employed. He clearly has pictures of someone.

This ^

 

[SC Maintenance]

The bigger point is, do we wanna compete? I sure do. The answer is support of higher education and hard work.

We clearly do not. The promised onshoring did not happen. Except maybe for semicon - and that was government funded.

Were moving from China to other Southeast Asian countries.

The only reason manufacturing stays in China is the industrial plant base, which was mostly paid for by the West, is still there.

So we will now do the same thing for Viet Nam, Thailand, Indonesia, etc.

Rinse / Repeat

 

[puellarum]

It just seems obvious that smaller electric vehicles are the future. No matter who likes it or not. I see people daily driving, Silverados and f-150s and even duallys sometimes. Not towing. Just driving to work. I do the math in my head. It's got to be.... $300 a month over what a basic commuter car or even a fancier sedan would cost them? Just because of ego or pride or whatever? It's pretty strange in my opinion. I'm not too proud to drive a crappy electric commuter car for A fraction of the money.

 

[Snagglefoot]

Those duallys hauling air and towing nothing are factored into the 35 Trillion of debt.

 

[Cujet]

It just seems obvious that smaller electric vehicles are the future. No matter who likes it or not. I see people daily driving, Silverados and f-150s and even duallys sometimes. Not towing. Just driving to work. I do the math in my head. It's got to be.... $300 a month over what a basic commuter car or even a fancier sedan would cost them? Just because of ego or pride or whatever? It's pretty strange in my opinion. I'm not too proud to drive a crappy electric commuter car for A fraction of the money.

That seems to be the popular opinion. But the reality is far more complex. A commuter car is not a good fit for me. Even my Jag F-Type does long road trips. I'm retired and still drive a lot.

We were in a horrific crash recently with my older F150. Unlicensed dump truck driver that should not be here. Cars are now quite unsafe due to not just the size of vehicles on the road, but the staggering number (in the tens of millions) of unskilled, unlicensed and uninsured drivers.

Here is what my entire neighborhood seems to do:

I've owned my 2024 F150 for 8 days now, and so far I've made 6 cargo runs. It gets used to move stuff and I've already scratched the tailgate up. I am not alone in this either. Pickup truck owners tend to use their trucks more than people think. I can't be without one. And I really don't like trucks. I'm a sports car guy.

 

[SC Maintenance]

It just seems obvious that smaller electric vehicles are the future. No matter who likes it or not. I see people daily driving, Silverados and f-150s and even duallys sometimes. Not towing. Just driving to work. I do the math in my head. It's got to be.... $300 a month over what a basic commuter car or even a fancier sedan would cost them? Just because of ego or pride or whatever? It's pretty strange in my opinion. I'm not too proud to drive a crappy electric commuter car for A fraction of the money.

Could make the same argument for 3000 square foot houses. Or 40 sets of clothing in the closet. Or a 65 inch TV. Or a diamond wedding ring. Or fancy sneakers. And so one and so forth.

 

[TheOilWizard]

It just seems obvious that smaller electric vehicles are the future. No matter who likes it or not. I see people daily driving, Silverados and f-150s and even duallys sometimes. Not towing. Just driving to work. I do the math in my head. It's got to be.... $300 a month over what a basic commuter car or even a fancier sedan would cost them? Just because of ego or pride or whatever? It's pretty strange in my opinion. I'm not too proud to drive a crappy electric commuter car for A fraction of the money.

There's a lot of truth in this post.

 

[Torrid]

It just seems obvious that smaller electric vehicles are the future. No matter who likes it or not. I see people daily driving, Silverados and f-150s and even duallys sometimes. Not towing. Just driving to work. I do the math in my head. It's got to be.... $300 a month over what a basic commuter car or even a fancier sedan would cost them? Just because of ego or pride or whatever? It's pretty strange in my opinion. I'm not too proud to drive a crappy electric commuter car for A fraction of the money.

I definitely understand. That's why I don't drive a truck anymore. Cost. That's it. It didn't make sense. Gas alone was equivalent to a car payment. It had it's practicality. It was a nuisance 95% of the time. I bought it because I had the impression it was overbuilt as a daily so that it would be extremely reliable. I never had any major problems with it, but just driving it on my long commutes made no sense once my driving needs changed. I went from driving 15 miles a day to as much as 200 miles a day on occasion.

My basic round trip commute is still 70 miles these days. Seniority plays a big part on where I can work out of and I'm now at best case scenario without moving for my job.

 

[wpod]

Jim Farley must be the dumbest CEO in the history of CEO's.

First he spends billions of shareholders money on building a Mach E, then is shocked on how it actually works because he never used an EV before. So he makes a video about his stupidity.

So now he finally gets off his duff and goes to China, the place that makes and uses the most EV's on Earth. Just now he gets around to going?

How is this guy still employed. He clearly has pictures of someone.

The boing airplane company ha=d the same type of CEO.

 

[JeffKeryk]

We clearly do not. The promised onshoring did not happen. Except maybe for semicon - and that was government funded.

Were moving from China to other Southeast Asian countries.

The only reason manufacturing stays in China is the industrial plant base, which was mostly paid for by the West, is still there.

So we will now do the same thing for Viet Nam, Thailand, Indonesia, etc.

Rinse / Repeat

Don't forget engineering. High Tech is all about engineering, from product design to manufacturing engineering, which is what TSMC does.

 

[wpod]

And yet China is still our enemy.

I have a different outlook on who our enemy is I would have to say.