High U.S. gas prices push consumers toward banned Chinese EVs as EV costs fall globally but not domestically

—Surging gas prices and high domestic car costs are pushing American consumers to seek out Chinese electric vehicles despite federal import bans. Global EV prices have fallen sharply, driven by Chinese manufacturers like BYD, but U.S. tariffs have effectively insulated the domestic market, leaving American buyers paying significantly more. The dynamic is creating political and economic pressure on the Biden-era tariff framework that the Trump administration has maintained.