From Guest Blogger Jordan: Tesla Keeps Getting New Competitors from China

Given the obvious and imminent shift of the auto industry from gasoline-powered vehicles toward electric cars, it’s no wonder that there are many new companies entering the electric car market, trying to compete with the established global automakers.

The fact that most of those emerging companies want to challenge Tesla Motors – the world’s leader in electric vehicle technology – is also understandable, and the latest Tesla rival comes from China. The world’s largest car market has seen a significant increase in electric vehicle sales, with the electric car sector in the most populous country on the planet growing rapidly in recent years.

China’s BAIC Backing an EV Startup Based in California

The Beijing Automotive Industry Corporation (BAIC) is a large state-owned automotive manufacturer from China, that has been interested in entering the electric car market for a while now. BAIC has announced that it has acquired Atieva, a California-based startup that focuses on developing electric car technologies.

Atieva has its headquarters in the city of Menlo Park in California’s Silicon Valley, a region that is on the road to become a major automotive hub. Just like Faraday Future, another electric car startup that recently announced plans to take on Tesla with the support of wealthy Chinese investors, Atieva will try to rival Elon Musk’s company with financial help from China.

Founded by a Former Tesla Executive

Atieva was founded in 2007 by Bernard Tse, who used to be a board member and vice president at Tesla, and on its website, the company states that it wants to redefine the idea of what a car can be.

“We’re a car company, not a design house. And we’re definitely not a traditional automaker,” says the company.

As British car magazine Autocar reports, BAIC will fund Atieva’s projects for building an all-electric car, which will obviously have to be a luxury, high-performing, long-range vehicle, if it is to stand a chance against Tesla’s products.

The Chinese automaker offers several electric vehicle models in its home market. The BAIC E150 EV is one of them. It’s a 5-door hatchback that delivers a range of 87 per one charge. Obviously, Atieva’s electric car will have to offer a range of at least 300 miles to be competitive in the global market.