Hyperdrive
China’s EV Price War Leaves Behind a Trail of Zombie Cars
- Drivers unable to access tech features when carmakers go bust
- Market consolidation hands greater power to industry giants
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The bruising price war in China’s auto industry has seen dozens of smaller carmakers quit the sector, leaving their customers with a problem: What do you do when your high-tech electric vehicle becomes obsolete?
Shanghai resident Mu, who asked to be identified by his last name due to privacy concerns, purchased his WM Motor EX5 EV in 2022. But since the company’s collapse in 2023, connectivity features have gradually vanished. Bluetooth keys no longer unlock doors, in-car entertainment systems are silent, maps don’t update and video streaming is unreliable.