The Chinese car company BYD, the world’s top-selling manufacturer of electric vehicles, is launching two models that can charge in five minutes; about the time it takes to fill a tank with gasoline. It’s news that looks like a landmark moment in the energy transition, the way that the release of the DeepSeek model was for AI. It’s another eye-opening breakthrough out of China that should have the US worried. Or is it?

To explain the significance of this latest leap forward in Chinese technology, Ed Crooks is joined by Amy Myers Jaffe, director of the Energy, Climate Justice, and Sustainability Lab at New York University, and Robbie Orvis, senior director for modelling and analysis at the think-tank Energy Innovation.

They debate the question: is the US being outpaced in the global race to innovate in clean energy technology? If the US has lost the automotive innovation race to China, what does that mean for US car companies? 

Robbie argues that the US auto industry needs solid policy support for domestic battery manufacturing to stay competitive. The Trump administration is relying heavily on tariffs: will that strategy be effective, or might it actually hinder progress in building a modern industrial base in the US?

Amy calls for a shift in how US policy approaches innovation in the EV sector, and energy generally. Can the recipe that created the spectacular success of Silicon Valley be recreated in the energy industry? 

The gang also discuss the problems at Tesla. In the face of challenges in China and Europe, how will the company respond?

Tune in for a lively discussion on these critical questions, and more. Join the conversation about the future of energy and innovation. 

Follow the show wherever you get your podcasts, and visit woodmac.com/podcasts for more information.

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