Against this backdrop, the U.S.-China New Energy Vehicle Project was launched by the Institute for China-America Studies (ICAS) to examine the evolving dynamics of the global automotive transition, with a particular focus on the comparative development paths of the United States and China. The project tracks policy debates, industrial strategies, market responses, and supply-chain realignments related to electric vehicles, hybrid technologies, and broader new energy vehicle ecosystems.

In recent years, hybrid vehicles have often been discussed as a transitional solution amid shifting regulatory priorities and uneven consumer adoption of full electrification. Yet policy inconsistency and strategic uncertainty have left the U.S. automotive industry without a clear, sustainable pathway to compete with Chinese manufacturers. As a result, trade measures—particularly tariffs—have emerged as a primary tool to shield the domestic market. However, the deeply globalized nature of automotive supply chains limits the effectiveness of purely protectionist approaches, underscoring the need for more coherent and durable industrial and policy frameworks.

Through ongoing analysis and regular updates, the U.S.-China New Energy Vehicle Project seeks to provide scholars, policymakers, and industry observers with a structured understanding of how technological change, government policy, and geopolitical competition intersect in shaping the future of the automotive industry. By situating U.S. and Chinese developments within a global context, the project aims to illuminate both the constraints and choices facing the United States as it navigates this critical industrial transition.