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Recorded live at the Alliance for Automotive Innovation's the Merge 2025, this episode features Michael Dunne, one of the most respected global analysts on the Chinese auto industry. From his vantage point tracking China for decades, Dunne delivers a blunt assessment: the biggest issue facing the auto industry today isn’t EVs, autonomy, or affordability—it’s China, at a scale most Americans still don’t fully see.

Dunne explains how Chinese automakers have gone from exporting one million vehicles to eight million in just five years, why 70% of those exports aren’t EVs, and how China is overwhelming markets across Europe, Asia, and the developing world. He warns that this moment is fundamentally different from Japan or Korea, calling it “15 Japans at once,” and argues that without coordination among allies, faster decision-making, and a complete rethink of cost, scale, and R&D, the U.S. risks falling behind faster than most leaders expect.

Timestamped Takeaways

0:00 Intro — Live at Merge 2025 with Michael Dunne

0:27 Why the Top Three Auto Issues All Start With China

0:48 America’s ‘Island of Ignorance’ Problem

1:51 From 1 Million to 8 Million Exports in Five Years

2:13 The Surprise: Most Chinese Exports Aren’t EVs

2:35 How China Adapts Powertrains Market by Market

3:14 “This Isn’t Japan or Korea—It’s 15 Japans at Once”

3:51 How China Moves Faster at Half the Cost

4:14 Why a Domestic Price War Is Fueling Global Expansion

5:17 The Industries China Already Dominates—and Why Auto Is Next

6:21 Why the U.S. Needs Allies to Compete at Scale

7:03 The Shock of China’s Rapid Takeover in Europe

7:56 Why Consumers Are Driving the Shift

8:31 Where to Follow Michael Dunne’s Work on China

Connect with Michael Dunne: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-dunne-a696901a/

Sign up for the Dunne Insights Newsletter: https://www.dunneinsights.com/

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