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US turns its back on EVs

May 18, 2026

Production stops, scrapped subsidies, and billions written off: US carmakers pivot back to combustion engines under Trump, while China pulls ahead in electric mobility. A strategic misstep?

https://p.dw.com/p/5DvSY

Internal combustion engines are becoming more popular again in the United States, while sales of electric cars are slowing. One reason is that subsidies and tax breaks for EVs have been reduced. Large carmakers are producing fewer electric vehicles. EV market share is much lower than in China and Europe, and falling.

This shift could cause problems in the long term. Fuel prices may rise, and global climate rules are getting stricter. At the same time, cheap electric cars from China are spreading quickly. These trends are speeding up the global move to electric mobility.

Experts warn of risks for US carmakers. If they focus too much on short-term policy changes, they may fall behind. They could lose both competitiveness and market share as the world switches to electric vehicles.
 

This video summary was created by AI from the original DW script. It was edited by a journalist before publication.

DW MitarbeiterIn I Marion Hütter
Marion Hütter Business reporter and producer
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