Imagine a world where China doesn't just compete in the auto industry—they conquer it. Their master plan? "Scale up, flood in, starve out": Ramp up production to flood global markets with affordable EVs, then squeeze out rivals through sheer volume and cost advantages. And guess what? The stakes couldn't be higher for U.S. innovation, jobs, and national security. Joining me once again to decode this high-stakes game is Michael Dunne, CEO of Dunne Insights and a leading expert on Asian automotive trends, he's back to reveal what's really at risk.

China's playbook is ruthless and effective. They've turbocharged factories across the country, churning out twice as many vehicles as their domestic market demands. The surplus? It's pouring into export markets worldwide, fueling explosive growth for brands like BYD, which skyrocketed 880% year-over-year in the UK alone. Don't take our word for it: Peter Fleet, former Group Vice President at Ford Motor Company, warns that Chinese automakers could seize a staggering 30% of the UK market within just two years. That's not gradual disruption, it's a tidal wave.

And here's the kicker: China doesn't stop at scale. They control a near-monopoly on rare earth minerals and magnets, essential ingredients for EV batteries and motors, giving them an unbreakable edge in the electric revolution. Without these, Western manufacturers are left scrambling.

The fallout for America? We're exposed. Detroit's legacy giants are bogged down by outdated strategies, fumbling the shift to EVs amid surging consumer demand for sustainable rides. As Michael puts it, we need a "Sputnik moment," that urgent, all-hands-on-deck wake-up call from the Space Race era, to supercharge our own battery and EV supply chains. Why? Because a secure domestic ecosystem isn't just smart business; it's vital for energy independence, technological leadership, and safeguarding our future against foreign dominance. Tune in now to grasp the full force of China's automotive juggernaut and arm yourself with the insights to fight back.

_____________________________

PUBLISHING NOTE: This episode was recorded on October 24th 2025.

As of October 30th 2025, following Trump's meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, China committed to pausing new export restrictions on five key rare earth metals announced on October 9, 2025, and agreed not to tighten controls on rare earth exports or related processing equipment. (Restrictions on seven other rare earths, imposed in April 2025, remain in place.) This directly addressed U.S. threats of 100% tariffs on Chinese EVs and other goods if Beijing weaponized its dominance in rare earths. The truce provides immediate breathing room. By halting new restrictions, it averts an acute supply crunch that could have halted EV assembly lines or inflated prices amid booming U.S. demand (EV sales hit 1.2 million units in 2025 so far). This stabilizes costs for U.S. automakers, supporting Biden-era incentives like the Inflation Reduction Act's $7,500 EV tax credit, which ties eligibility to North American sourcing—but still leans on Chinese-processed materials.

In essence, the meeting bought time but no transformation— a tactical win for Trump, but a reminder that U.S. EV ambitions hinge on outmaneuvering China's mineral monopoly.

______________________________

Read Michael's full article here and subscribe to his newsletter here.

Connect with Michael on X and on

Recorded on-site at the Auto Finance Summit in Las Vegas this month, Mitch Fadel, former Upbound / Rent-A-Center CEO and John Possumato, DriveItAway's CEO join me for an exciting episode that will change the auto industry forever. Mitch Fadel's proven track record at Rent-A-Center—scaling from 50 stores to over 2,000—demonstrates his unmatched ability to drive exponential growth and redefine access to essential goods for underserved consumers. Under his leadership, the company evolved into the Upbound Group, introducing Acima, a cutting-edge virtual leasing platform that empowers customers with limited credit to acquire furniture and appliances from trusted partners like Ashley Furniture, bypassing traditional barriers. Now, Mitch is strategically pivoting into the automotive sector, advising DriveItAway on their initiative to target used electric vehicles returning from leases to address a critical gap in sustainable transportation for lower-middle-income families. Why? Because the dusty old buy-here-pay-here car scene hasn't evolved since the flip phones ruled. More specifically, the stagnant buy-here-pay-here market, unchanged for 35 years, leaves millions behind, but DriveItAway's lease-to-own approach promises to revolutionize it through targeted partnerships with dealerships, delivering mobility that's both aspirational and attainable. With the potential to capture 5-10% of car sales, this initiative creates enduring value for consumers, dealers, and manufacturers alike, (a triple win!) positioning DriveItAway as the indispensable force for equitable progress in the EV era. Tune in for something truly disruptive!

______________________________

This episode is sponsored by DriveItAway. If you’re a franchise dealer, you can now launch a profitable (and scalable) micro-lease to own program with zero upfront costs, to transform your unsold inventory into monthly revenue, effortlessly. And if you want to support DriveItAway’s mission directly, check out their stock on the OTC markets, "DWAY." Learn more at driveitway.com/dealers

_______________________________

Connect with Mitch Fadel on LinkedIn

Connect with John Possumato at john@driveitaway.com or on LinkedIn

________________________________

Connect with Elena:

https://evs4everyone.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/elenaciccotelli/

Let's talk on X:

https://twitter.com/EVs_forEveryone

Are you connected with the show on LinkedIn?

https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-evs-for-everyone-podcast/

________________________

Melinda Zabritski, Head of Automotive Financial Insights at Experian joined me at the Auto Finance Summit in Las Vegas last week and highlighted her recent report: Experian's State of the Automotive Finance Market Report: Q2 2025. Buyers are going old-school with cold hard cash. 67% of used vehicle deals closed all-cash in Q2, thanks to sky-high affordability hurdles. But don't hit the panic button, credit scores are skyrocketing, showing consumers are still nailing that money game amid economic speed bumps. EVs took a slight detour, dipping below 9% market share. The fix? Leasing's the hero here, dishing out low payments that make going electric like a joyride steal.

New car payments are soaring to approximately $770 a month, fueled by tariffs and beefier loans. Meanwhile, the used market's owning the track with 40 million transactions (vs. just 12 million new). But there's good news from the lender lane: Loan-to-value (LTV) ratios are dropping smartly to around 90% for top players, new and used alike. And EVs? Lenders are ditching the doubt on residuals and batteries, finally cruising with some confidence. Don't miss this episode for everything you need to know about the current state of the automotive finance market!

_______________________________

Experian Automotive's exclusive quarterly report on the latest trends and analysis of the U.S. automotive finance market, presented by Melinda Zabritski, Head of Automotive Financial Insights at Experian.

Gain insights into:

• New and used financing
• Lender market share shifts
• Credit scores and risk distribution
• Changes to loan amounts, terms, rates, and payments

Download here

https://www.experian.com/automotive/auto-credit-webinar-form

_______________________________

Check out Experian's EV Resource Page for all things electric vehicle data

_______________________________

This episode is sponsored by Experian. Experian is a global data and technology company, powering opportunities for people and businesses around the world. Experian helps to redefine lending practices, uncover and prevent fraud, simplify healthcare, deliver digital marketing solutions, and gain deeper insights into the automotive market, all using their unique combination of data, analytics and software. Learn more here

https://www.experian.com/automotive/ev-resource-center?cmpid=EVS_for_Everyone

_______________________________

Connect with Melinda on LinkedIn

_______________________________

Connect with Elena:

https://evs4everyone.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/elenaciccotelli/

Let's talk on X:

https://twitter.com/EVs_forEveryone

Are you connected with the show on LinkedIn?

https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-evs-for-everyone-podcast/

________________________