WAN, Ke
- Posted
- 2026年1月22日(木)
- Program: Master’s Program
- Enrollment in: April 2025
- Directed Research: International Legal Studies
Message
The worldwide electric vehicle (EV) industry has experienced a fast-paced development since 2010 which turned it from a small market segment into a vital business sector that unites environmental goals with national economic strategies and worldwide commercial activities. The government’s fast-paced transition to decarbonization has made EVs essential tools for reaching climate objectives. The increasing strategic worth of green industries has created new trade disputes which now center on electric vehicles between China and North America. China functions as the main center for electric vehicle value chain operations because it offers massive manufacturing capabilities and complete supply chain integration and sustained government backing. The Shanghai Gigafactory operated by Tesla functions as a special foreign-controlled manufacturing facility which operates within China’s industrial framework to produce products for international customers. The Shanghai plant started exporting vehicles to Canada and other regions beginning in 2021 which established it as a vital export hub for Tesla worldwide.
A significant market disruption took place during late 2024 when Canada imposed a 100% surtax on all Chinese-imported electric vehicles. The policy which used fair competition and supply chain security as its basis transformed the way EV companies function within the Canadian market. The surtax imposed by Tesla created an immediate policy change which impacted their export operations and their ability to set prices and maintain their supply network. The research needs to answer how multinational EV companies modify their export operations and supply chain management when trade policies experience sudden changes. The research investigates this matter through a qualitative case study which examines Tesla’s Shanghai Gigafactory while using BYD as a reference point for comparison. The research investigates strategic adaptation processes instead of assessing financial performance by studying decision-making and communication and implementation methods in worldwide production systems. The research method of qualitative approach works best because it enables scientists to study managerial views and organizational coordination and environmental limitations which quantitative data cannot effectively measure.
The main research approach involves conducting semi-structured interviews with EV industry stakeholders who work for Tesla and its suppliers and hold positions as policy or industry experts. The method of semi-structured interviews enables researchers to study participant experiences through flexible questioning while keeping all interviews organized by the same analytical structure. The research combines interview data with policy documents and corporate materials and industry reports for triangulation purposes and contextual understanding. The research combines qualitative interview data with case-based analysis to generate new knowledge about EV industry strategy and trade policy and supply chain adaptation.