DETROIT – Ford Motor’s largest competitors in electrical autos is not U.S. chief Tesla or crosstown rival Common Motors, it is Chinese language automakers, CEO Jim Farley mentioned Thursday.

Farley mentioned Chinese language firms resembling Warren Buffett-backed BYD are forward of the big U.S. automakers and startups on electrical autos, particularly battery chemistry and different rising applied sciences.

“We see the Chinese language as the principle competitor, not GM or Toyota,” Farley mentioned throughout the Morgan Stanley Sustainable Finance Summit.

He used BYD because the prime instance of a Chinese language automaker that has efficiently developed and bought EVs — first in China, and now Europe.

“I like BYD. Completely vertically built-in, aggressive … very, very spectacular firm. And so they have been all the time dedicated to electrical,” Farley mentioned when requested which firm is doing EVs proper.

BYD has grown its gross sales in China from 445,000 models in 2015 to almost 2 million final yr, making it one of many high 5 automakers by gross sales in China, based on LMC Automotive.

Farley’s feedback echo these of trade specialists and buyers concerning the expansion of BYD and different Chinese language automakers, which have authorities backing in China.

“BYD has an enormous place, each from the electrical car perspective and likewise by means of the battery manufacturing facet,” Philip Ripman, portfolio supervisor at Storebrand Asset Administration, instructed CNBC Professional Talks final week.

Ripman, who manages the $1 billion Storebrand World Options sustainable fund, highlighted BYD’s developments in cheaper, sodium-ion battery expertise, which might probably exchange lithium batteries. He famous that these might change into prevalent in BYD’s extra reasonably priced EVs and assist enhance revenue margins for the automaker.

Farley additionally famous BYD’s battery benefits in comparison with the present U.S. trade normal of lithium-ion centered batteries.

Ford earlier this yr introduced a brand new collaboration with China’s Modern Amperex Know-how Co., or CATL, for a brand new $3.5 billion plant to construct cheaper batteries in Michigan.

The power will produce new lithium iron phosphate batteries, or LFP, versus pricier nickel cobalt manganese batteries with lithium, which the corporate is at the moment utilizing. It’s anticipated to open in 2026 and make use of about 2,500 folks, based on the Detroit automaker.

Farley touted BYD’s function in constructing out that expertise.

“BYD’s scale is method greater than Tesla now, they usually developed the LFP expertise, which is a greater battery,” Farley mentioned.

The Ford-CATL deal has been criticized amid tensions between the U.S. and China. Particularly, Marco Rubio requested the Biden administration to overview the deal, which incorporates Ford licensing CATL’s applied sciences. The Detroit automaker will personal the brand new facility by means of a wholly-owned subsidiary as an alternative of working it as a three way partnership with CATL.

Farley mentioned if politics get in the way in which of permitting cheaper EV applied sciences within the U.S., the buyer goes to be “screwed” with greater costs.

“Now we have to work by means of that in our nation. And I believe they’re actually attention-grabbing firms,” Farley mentioned.