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China’s EV and clean-tech surge: cars, batteries and the price war

A guide to the electric cars, batteries and solar panels that are reshaping global industry

By China Factor StaffUpdated November 2026Analysis

China builds more than half of the world’s electric vehicles and dominates the supply chains for batteries and solar panels. Companies such as BYD and CATL have gone from domestic players to global leaders in little more than a decade, and Chinese cars are now pushing into markets from Europe to Latin America.

That success has a darker side: brutal price wars, chronic overcapacity and a wave of tariffs as other countries try to protect their own industries. This guide brings together China Factor’s coverage of the EV and clean-tech boom, including what it means for Canada.

1 The EV juggernaut

Years of state support, fierce domestic competition and control of battery materials turned China into the world’s EV powerhouse, leaving US and European carmakers struggling to catch up.

2 Price wars and overcapacity

Too many factories chasing too few buyers have driven prices down across cars and solar, squeezing profits and prompting Beijing to step in against what it calls ‘involution’.

3 Batteries, tariffs and trade fights

As Chinese EVs and batteries flood global markets, governments are weighing cheaper clean technology against industrial and security risks. Canada is the latest front.

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This guide is updated as China Factor publishes new coverage. Last revision: November 2026.