How the US got left behind in the electric car race

Broader “US is behind” debate

• Some argue the US isn’t “left” behind but is actively choosing to go backwards, driven by corruption and protection of billionaires and legacy industries.
• Commenters broaden “behind” beyond EVs: healthcare affordability, maternal mortality, abortion access, low minimum wages, weak paid leave, poor transit, and unwalkable cities.
• Pushback: others see this as repetitive “America bad” rhetoric, arguing many Americans don’t actually want European-style systems, except perhaps healthcare.

Abortion and culture-war spillover

• A subthread disputes whether opposition to abortion is mainly religious; one side claims it is, another insists non-religious people can see it as killing babies.
• The exchange underscores how quickly EV/climate policy discussion in the US is pulled into broader culture-war lines.

Protectionism, tariffs, and China

• A major theme: US auto protectionism and tariffs shield domestic companies from global competition, making them less innovative and less price-competitive.
• Others counter that China’s domestic market is even more protected and heavily subsidized across the EV supply chain, with state support, long-term planning, and industrial policy.
• There’s disagreement on the scale and strictness of Chinese environmental and safety standards; some assume “zero standards,” others cite Euro NCAP data showing many Chinese-made EVs scoring top safety ratings.
• Several see fossil fuel industry lobbying and weak campaign finance limits as central reasons the US delayed serious EV and clean energy buildout.

Product strategy and competition

• US legacy automakers are criticized for focusing on profitable SUVs and trucks and treating EVs as luxury/status products, not affordable mass vehicles.
• BYD and other Chinese brands are seen as “cooking” the West with cheap, competent EVs and hybrids; some note Chinese-built Teslas are high quality.
• Others respond that China’s advantages partly come from unfair subsidies, IP theft, and ignoring patents.

Infrastructure, geography, and usability

• Many commenters cite inadequate US charging infrastructure, app fragmentation, and unreliable chargers as the main practical barrier; Tesla’s integrated network is praised as an exception.
• Range anxiety is highlighted, especially for long US road trips, rural areas, and very long stretches (e.g., Alaska), though others say such extreme routes are niche.
• Some argue the “road trip problem” is overstated since most trips are shorter and many households have multiple cars.
• Islands (Puerto Rico, Hawaii) are described as ideal for EVs in principle, but constrained by grid issues and sparse public chargers.

US position and framing

• Some say the headline is misleading: the US is still #2 globally in EVs, with Tesla as a major global player.
• Others counter that losing an early lead and falling behind China and parts of Europe in growth and infrastructure is exactly what “left behind” means.