Today we're going to focus on a topic making international headlines. As we begin 2026, the question many are asking in dealerships and offices in Detroit is: Can Donald Trump really stop the electric car revolution?
The short answer is: he can throw a wrench in the works at home, but the world's engine has already shifted gears.
Since returning to the White House, President Trump hasn't hidden his skepticism. Recently, his administration has taken drastic measures, such as eliminating the $7,500 tax credits (which officially ended in September 2025) and freezing billions of dollars earmarked for charging infrastructure.
This has caused a seismic shift in the American automotive industry. Giants like Ford have announced multi-billion dollar expenditures (nearly $20 billion) to pivot back to hybrids and gasoline, while electric vehicle sales in the US suffered a significant drop after the end of subsidies. For many local manufacturers, this seems like a safe haven, but for science and the global economy, it could be a competitiveness trap.
The world isn't waiting for Washington. While the US looks in the rearview mirror, the rest of the planet is hitting the gas. China, the world's largest automotive market, has already crossed the threshold where 50% of its sales are electric. Its brands, such as BYD and Xiaomi, not only dominate their territory but are also expanding aggressively in South America and Southeast Asia.
In Europe, although pressure from traditional manufacturers has led the European Union to soften the total ban of 2035—now allowing some leeway for synthetic fuels or advanced hybrids—the trend is clear. In countries like Norway, electric car sales already exceed an astonishing 90%. The technology is no longer a promise; it's the norm.
The battery situation has reached a point of no return. This is where physics and economies of scale come into play. The real revolution doesn't depend on who occupies the Oval Office, but on the price of lithium-ion batteries. Every year, energy density improves and manufacturing costs fall.
We are very close to the "point of parity": that moment when manufacturing an electric car will be as cheap as manufacturing a combustion engine car without the need for any subsidies. When that day arrives (and experts say it's just a matter of time), the laws of the market will prevail over political laws. No tariff will be able to stop a product that is more efficient, cheaper to maintain, and ultimately, more affordable to buy.
Raising tariffs and protecting outdated technologies may seem like an immediate political victory, but it's a very risky strategy; it's a short-term fix that will lead to long-term problems. If Western manufacturers stop innovating in electric vehicles to squeeze every last dollar out of the internal combustion engine, they will find themselves in five years competing with Asian cars that are technologically far superior and cheaper.
History teaches us that technological complacency often precedes the downfall of those who have become complacent. I believe no one can stop the scientific progress that is making the air in our cities cleaner and our transportation more efficient.
I don't know if Western automotive companies still have time to react, but I'm certain that Mr. Trump isn't going to save them from bankruptcy. He cares only about himself and his billionaire friends. He doesn't care about the poor automotive workers who might lose their jobs.
Life is that unfair.
And what do you think, my dear friend? Do you believe that the comfort of the familiar will cause us to lose the race to the future?
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