Did you know that one of the earliest and most forceful advocates for electric vehicles in China was Qian Xuesen, yes, the same Qian who built China’s missile and space programs after being deported from the US during the Red Scare?

He trained at Caltech, co-founded the Jet Propulsion Lab, and was considered one of the brightest minds in American aerospace. Then, in the 1950s, the US decided he was a political risk and forced him out. Many have cited his story in the context of today’s immigration debates, especially under Trump-era policies that make it harder for foreign scientists to stay.

In 1992, decades after helping China develop its nuclear weapons, Qian wrote to the country’s top leadership urging them to skip internal combustion entirely and go straight to electric. China couldn’t act on that vision right away -- it was still far behind on basic auto manufacturing -- but it’s fascinating to imagine what might have happened if it had.

And what if Qian were younger and could have acted on the vision himself? What a visionary.

Here's the translation of his letter which is pasted below and mentioned whenever anyone ever talks about the EV industry in China:

Dear Vice Premier Zou Jiahua,

In this letter, I would like to propose an idea: our automobile industry should skip the phase of relying on petroleum and move directly into a new path that conserves energy, reduces pollution, and uses new energy sources.

This year, our auto production will exceed 650,000 vehicles. By the next century 20s and 30s*, it is estimated that we will produce 10 million vehicles annually. Environmental protection will become a serious issue.

Currently, the US, Japan, and Western European countries are all organizing technological forces to develop high-efficiency batteries and planning to launch electric vehicles.

In this situation, we should no longer hesitate. We must formulate a development plan for battery-powered vehicles and strive to catch up and eventually lead in this area.

This is entirely achievable. Recently, a trial base for nickel-metal hydride batteries has been established in Zhongshan, Guangdong, indicating that our country is capable of developing such technology.

Electric vehicles using nickel-metal hydride batteries are now practically feasible. This type of vehicle, powered by this new energy source, can already travel over 100 kilometers on a single charge. With further advancement, a range of 250 to 300 kilometers per charge is possible, which would make them ready for widespread use.

*Qian could have been slightly more optimistic as China exceeded 10 million vehicles manufactured per year around 2009

- Rui