The group representing China's auto manufacturers has retracted a pledge to avoid"abnormal pricing" that it had brokered between 16 automakers, including Tesla, breaking off a truce in a brutal price war over electric vehicles.
Global automakers followed. Ford cut prices on its Mustang Mach E EV. Toyota offered a discount on its bZ4X EV, and Nissan offered an incentive on its Ariya EV. General Motors, Honda, Stellantis, Ford and Nissan also marked down combustion vehicles, which are losing share to EVs and plug-in hybrids. CAAM in March had urged automakers and local authorities to cool"price-cut hype" to ensure what it called the stable development of the industry.
The letter included a pledge to"not disturb fair competition in the market with abnormal pricing" to stabilise the market and promote consumption. That was widely seen as a truce in the price war.