Congressman John Moolenaar Chairman of the Select Committee on the CCP | Official Website
House Select Committee on China Chairman John Moolenaar and U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn have called on the Departments of Commerce and Defense to investigate Autel Energy, a Chinese electric vehicle charging company. The lawmakers expressed concerns over potential national security risks due to the company's ties to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and the People’s Liberation Army (PLA).
In their letter addressed to Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Moolenaar and Blackburn requested a national security review. They aim to ensure that American consumer data and energy infrastructure remain secure from foreign threats.
The lawmakers stated, “Autel Energy manufactures electric vehicle (EV) charging stations and is a wholly owned subsidiary of Autel Intelligent Transportation Corp.—the same parent company to Chinese drone maker Autel Robotics, which the U.S. government recently added to the Department of Commerce’s Entity List and the Chinese military companies list." They expressed concern that "Autel Energy’s products pose many of the same risks to U.S. economic and national security as those manufactured by Autel Robotics and its parent company, both of which are openly affiliated with the CCP and People’s Liberation Army.”
Autel has reportedly attempted to hide its Chinese ownership by using a different name in the United States, promoting its new assembly facility, and marketing its products as eligible for federal EV infrastructure funds. These actions resemble tactics used by its sister company, which falsely advertised a “Made in USA” drone incorporating banned Chinese technology.
Moolenaar and Blackburn have urged an evaluation of whether Autel Energy should be included on national security watchlists due to its capability to collect driver data and connect with critical infrastructure.
The legislators commended both Departments for their leadership while emphasizing proactive measures are necessary to protect Americans from increasing technological threats associated with adversarial regimes.
