EP 360 – Are Japan’s Car Makers Losing the EV Race to China? – Hirotaka Uchida – Partner, Arthur D. Little

by Michael Waitze | Mar 19, 2025

The global automotive industry is undergoing one of its most significant transformations in history, driven by shifting market forces, technological advancements, and geopolitical tensions. Once dominated by traditional internal combustion engine vehicles, the landscape is rapidly evolving as electric vehicles and hybrid technologies gain traction.

In this episode of the Asia Tech Podcast, ⁠Hirotaka Uchida⁠, Partner at ⁠Arthur D. Little⁠, unpacks how Thailand, China, and India are shaping the global auto industry—and what it means for the future of mobility.

Some of the topics that Uchida-san covered in detail included:

How Thailand has positioned itself as a key player in the automotive industry over the last 50 years.
While Japan pioneered the hybrid revolution with the launch of the Toyota Prius in 1997, it appears to be losing ground in the EV market to Chinese manufacturers.
The Thai government is now using similar incentives that it once used for Japanese manufacturers to attract Chinese EV companies
How and why the traditional auto market in Thailand is declining after peaking in 2012.
Quietly, India is emerging as a major automotive market.
For better or for worse, geopolitical tensions are reshaping the global automotive landscape.

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