Thread: Elon in the pooh - again!

I am not sure that the description 'massive' applies compared to the subsidies and import protection given to Toyota, Mitsubishi, General Motors, British Leyland, Fiat, Volvo (and others) that are still around, not to mention those that are not, such as Holden, Santana, and many others.

Not disagreeing John, others get far more for delivering far less but I think it was around US $500 million to get them off the ground - I'm also not saying that was a bad idea, just saying is all. As I've said before in this thread I have no beef with Tesla or EV's, just the dipstick in charge....

I read that the German car companies get enormous hidden subsidies by exemptions on local, state and national taxes. Pretty sure the same is true in Japan. Certainly true in Thailand. Not unusual.

No, and despite this few car manufacturers actually operate consistently in the black except by some creative accounting!

The Thais don't muck around. They just whacked on import duties of about 400% to stifle imports. Don't like it? Tell the generals and see what happens.

And many other countries did the same sort of thing - including Australia for about sixty or seventy years. Started being reduced here when the voting public started to realise that the major result was a limited selection of expensive and/or antiquated, cars while propping up manufacturing in a few locations but still requiring massive subsidies.

Yes, they have to export most of their production, as Thailand has done, to be successful.
It's interesting to stand in a car park and count how many of the vehicles visible were made in Thailand.

Originally Posted by DiscoMick

Yes, they have to export most of their production, as Thailand has done, to be successful.
It's interesting to stand in a car park and count how many of the vehicles visible were made in Thailand.

which manufactures come from thailand?