The Electric: A Wake-Up Call for the West at the Shanghai Auto Show

After three years of pandemic lockdowns that kept out most foreign visitors, China last week concluded a mobbed Shanghai Auto Show, and people returning from the event had a near-unanimous message: Chinese electric vehicle makers are coming to the West, and legacy auto and battery makers appear unready to defend their turf.

The verdict seemed ominous: Analysts and the executives of legacy automakers raved about the range, quality and technology on display in the Chinese EVs and batteries, while raising serious doubts about the ability of Western companies to compete in China, the world’s largest auto market. Looking ahead, they worry about competition from Chinese companies in Europe and the U.S.