November 2025

109 CHINESE CAR BRANDS?! WHAT???  When I first saw this chart, I had to double-check it. That’s one hundred and nine carmakers, all in one country! From “Luxury” down to “Low-cost.” (Thank you Reddit.) At first glance, it looks insane. Violates all business school strategy text books. Why would any government or industry allow this kind of fragmentation? Wouldn’t it be more efficient to focus on a few national champions? But that’s the paradox of China’s EV boom. Then again, perhaps it’s genius. “LET A THOUSAND FLOWERS BLOOM” It’s a phrase from old China, but it captures what’s happening now. The government didn’t try to pick winners. It simply let a thousand flowers bloom – allowing ideas, technologies, and business models to compete freely. Some flourished. Many will wither. But through this chaos, China has built the world’s most complete EV ecosystem – from batteries and semiconductors to software, motors, and charging networks. This approach compressed 30 years of industrial learning into a single decade. The results are shaking the world. German automakers – once untouchable in engineering and prestige – now find themselves outpaced in software, cost, and speed. Even Tesla’s cost advantage increasingly depends on its China-based supply chain. This isn’t just a price war. IT’S A CAPABILITY WAR. China’s crazy, chaotic, capitalistic model has produced competitors now storming global markets. WHAT HAPPENS NEXT? Most won’t survive. The pyramid will shrink. But the survivors? They’ll be battle-hardened, globally capable, and export-ready. In China, they call it “involution” (内卷 nèijuǎn) – a term originally describing the contraction of the uterus after childbirth, so the body can grow strong again. Exactly as evolution works in nature – only the best adapt and endure. Those who survive will redefine global automotive economics. LESSONS FOR MALAYSIA AND ASEAN There’s a clear takeaway for us – as Malaysia stands in the spotlight this week. We cannot choose our national champions, no matter how much our leaders might wish to. The market will decide. What governments can and must do is provide the ‘fertiliser’ for the ‘flowers’ to bloom – the policies, incentives, and ecosystem that help good ideas take root, grow, and flourish. Encourage experimentation. Invest in the ecosystem, people, and talent – not just assembly lines. Support batteries, materials, and chip design – the invisible backbone of the EV revolution. This applies not just to Malaysia, but to ASEAN as a whole. Real transformation will always look messy, competitive, and creative in its early stages. When you let a thousand flowers bloom, for sure, not all will survive. But those that do, will change the world. Does Malaysia just want to survive and make money? Or make a real impact within ASEAN? Original Linkedin post here.