WASHINGTON (October 30, 2025) – A new Science commentary by John Helveston at the George Washington University warns that U.S. policies are causing the country to fall behind in the global electric vehicle race. While China’s plug-in electric vehicles now make up nearly half of new car sales, with more than 50 models topping 400 miles of range, the U.S. remains limited to a handful of luxury options.
Helveston argues that rather than hiding behind trade barriers, the U.S. should work with China by licensing its battery technology, allowing investment with oversight, and setting shared standards, all of which could serve to boost innovation, create jobs, and speed up the clean energy transition.
Helveston is an assistant professor of engineering management and systems engineering at GW. An expert in electric vehicles, innovation, and technology policy, he studies the factors that drive technological change, especially the transition to sustainable and energy-efficient technologies.
The commentary, “How collaboration with China can revitalize US automotive innovation,” was published Oct. 30, 2025 in the journal Science.
If you are interested in scheduling an interview with Helveston, please contact GW Media Relations at gwmedia
gwu [dot] edu