# The Real Reason European Cars Can't Compete

An episode of [Patrick Boyle On Finance](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1547740313), 5 Jul 2026, 26 min.

Audio: https://traffic.megaphone.fm/APO9355556854.mp3

Europe's automotive industry is facing a historic crisis as Volkswagen weighs unprecedented factory closures and massive job cuts. However, the root of the problem isn't just high energy costs or European bureaucracy—it's China Shock 2.0. With Chinese electric vehicle (EV) manufacturers building cars significantly faster and for thousands of euros less, traditional German automakers are rapidly losing market share both at home and abroad. This video analyzes the structural trade imbalances flooding the market with subsidized EVs, explains why laying off workers won't solve Volkswagen's €6,000 per-car cost gap, and examines whether new European Union tariffs will protect domestic manufacturing or simply trigger a costly global trade war. Patrick's Books: Statistics For The Trading Floor: https://amzn.to/3eerLA0 Derivatives For The Trading Floor: https://amzn.to/3cjsyPF Corporate Finance: https://amzn.to/3fn3rvC Ways To Support The Channel: Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/PatrickBoyleOnFinance Buy Me a Coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/patrickboyle

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