Coming to America: Chinese EVs (Abridged bonus episode)

In this abridged January 2026 bonus episode of The Clean Energy Show, Brian Stockton and James Whittingham kick off the first podcast of 2026 with a packed update on clean tech, transportation, and air quality trends shaping the global energy transition.

The show begins with developments in electric shipping, including Norway's autonomous container ship Yara Birkeland and testing of the world's largest battery-electric ferry, which will carry more than 2,000 passengers between Argentina and Uruguay. Listener mail sparks a brief but heated debate over whether corn is a vegetable, grain, or something else entirely.

The main stories focus on dramatic improvements in Beijing's air quality, with PM2.5 pollution levels down nearly 75% since 2013, driven largely by China's rapid adoption of electric vehicles. The hosts also break down how BYD has surpassed Tesla as the world's largest EV seller, why Tesla's sales declined in 2025, and how brutal competition inside China is squeezing margins for everyone involved.

Other highlights include China's claim of producing the world's first 100% recyclable wind turbine blade, signs that low-cost Chinese EVs could enter the U.S. market as early as 2027, and a wide-ranging Lightning Round covering batteries, heat pumps, solar growth, robotics, and plastics.

The episode closes with a troubling investigation into toxic air contamination aboard commercial airplanes — a hidden pollution problem affecting crews and passengers alike.

For the full, unabridged bonus episode, visit https://patreon.com/cleanenergypod and support the show.

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