| Thanks for reading Hyperdrive, Bloomberg’s newsletter on the future of the auto world. Read today’s featured story in full online here. Give Me Your Reporters, Your Influencers | China’s carmakers are ready with the right technology, designs and prices to dominate in the coming decades — and they want the world to know it. So it’s no wonder the number of journalists and influencers invited to cover the Shanghai auto show from abroad appears to be the highest ever. Although official figures are difficult to come by, corporate events held in the lead up to China’s biggest car show hosted hundreds of reporters packed into luxurious hotel briefing rooms to hear about the latest models built by BYD, Zeekr and other Chinese EV manufacturers. It’s a clear change of attitude in a country known for tight controls over journalist visas.  Members of the media and influencers swarming Zeekr’s April 23 news conference. Photographer: Linda Lew/Bloomberg Particularly notable are the preponderance of reporters from Latin America and the Middle East, reflecting ambitions the carmakers harbor to prevail in those regions as local incomes rise. Faster expansion abroad also will help alleviate overcapacity in EV manufacturing, with an estimated 17 million unit sales projected this year paling in comparison to automakers’ ability to assemble some 36 million, according to local media reports. China’s top-selling car brand BYD hosted some 150 journalists and influencers from Latin American countries including El Salvador, Paraguay, Ecuador, Chile and Peru. The lively pack were treated to the luxury hotels in Shanghai that line the Huangpu river overlooking the Bund, including one with rooms going for at least $375 a night. The EV market in Latin America is projected to reach $19 billion in sales by 2030, with government incentives and infrastructure expansion alleviating challenges including limited charging stations. BYD is building a factory in Brazil with the goal of producing 150,000 vehicles there annually. SAIC Motor’s MG is setting up a plant in Mexico specifically to cater to the Latin American market. Influencers also are being given greater access. With their slickly produced videos and constant social media posts that attract huge numbers of followers, YouTubers and bloggers have outsize ability to shape consumers’ perceptions about the quality and performance of car brands.  Influencers at the BYD booth at the Shanghai auto show. Photographer: Nicholas Takahashi/Bloomberg Forrest Jones, a car reviewer with 3.2 million YouTube subscribers, was mingling with the crowd sipping drinks at Zeekr’s media event on the rooftop of the Fairmont Peace Hotel. Known for his reviews of everything from kei cars to SUVs, Jones’ clips of Chinese EVs have garnered hundreds of thousands of views as he highlights features and capabilities that can’t be found in North American or European models. Jones has little doubt US car buyers will want to buy Chinese EVs once they see their value — that is, if the cars ever make it to the US. “They would totally go for it,” he said. Chinese automakers by and large don’t sell passenger vehicles in the country due to punitive tariffs. The hospitality extended to foreign journalists and influencers hasn’t gone unnoticed by local media. Zhang, a Chinese influencer who asked to be only identified by his last name, said that many of his peers’ complaints over preferential access to foreign journalists stem from them being overly feted in the past. “It shouldn’t matter if the Chinese car companies are paying for hotels or transportation,” Zhang said. “Influencers should serve their audience first and help the public make better decisions when buying a car.” Felix Hamer, a self-proclaimed electric-charging nerd who blogs about his EV travels, detailing the stops he takes to top up batteries and explaining various models’ pricing and capabilities, flew in from Amsterdam, by way of Shenzhen, to learn more about the latest in fast charging. A carmaker like Audi wouldn’t even fly him to Portugal, he joked. Even China’s suppliers recognize the importance of media coverage and influencers. CATL, the world’s biggest producer of EV batteries, invited hundreds to a converted warehouse in Shanghai to demonstrate the latest innovations at its first-ever Tech Day.  CATL’s intelligence integrated chassis at the company’s R&D facility in Shanghai. Photographer: Qilai Shen/Bloomberg Later, CATL invited a smaller group of influencers to a testing facility near Tesla’s factory just outside Shanghai to try out its chassis that integrates the vehicle frame, battery and electric motor. The company wanted to show off the viability of the platform, which carmakers can use to build their own models without having to worry about costly core EV components. For the test drives, CATL provided a fully built car by Chinese automaker Neta that uses its design, plus a bare-bones skateboard chassis to which it had bolted a chair, pedals and a steering column. One enthusiastic influencer pushed the contraption too hard, spinning it on the track and damaging a rear corner. CATL handlers blanched, but it made for great content. — By Reed Stevenson, Danny Lee, and Linda Lew  New Hyundai vehicles at the Port of Tacoma in Washington State in March. Photographer: David Ryder/Bloomberg The Trump administration is considering whether to reduce certain tariffs targeting the auto industry that carmaker executives have warned would deal a severe blow to profits and jobs. One measure would spare automobiles and parts already subject to tariffs from facing additional duties from levies on steel and aluminum imports, eliminating “stacking” of levies. Another option being studied is to fully exempt auto parts that comply with the US-Mexico-Canada trade pact, known as the USMCA. While those components don’t currently face tariffs, the administration had planned to tax the non-US share of those parts from Canada and Mexico. The proposals and options remain under consideration and President Donald Trump has not signed off, cautioned the people, who asked not to be identified discussing private deliberations. Read More:  Billionaire Jim Ratcliffe alongside the Ineos Fusilier. Photographer: Hollie Adams/Bloomberg British billionaire Jim Ratcliffe built a $13 billion fortune reviving ailing chemicals companies. Repeating the trick in other industries hasn’t been as easy: his most high-profile investment, Manchester United Football Club, has been dogged by poor performance on the pitch, but his car business is struggling even more. In September, Ineos Automotive idled its only factory for four months after its seat supplier went bankrupt. Then, the company recalled more than 7,000 of its Grenadier off-roaders in the US after some of its vehicles’ doors opened while moving. Now, the automaker now faces its biggest challenge yet: Donald Trump’s 25% auto tariffs. The levies pose a particular threat for Ineos, a niche player without as recognized a brand and lacking the scale of more established rivals. The duties mean it will take even longer for the nine-year-old business to hit a key milestone: turning its first profit. | 
