Germany subsidises German cars.

NO! Absolutely not, it’s true USA has subsidized Tesla, both their charging network directly, and the cars by having an EV quota Tesla sell to other manufacturers, while also subsidizing EV sales through tax credits. Tesla has also received production subsidies in China, which is why Tesla now has a 15% import tax to EU from China. Chinese and American subsidies favor production in China and USA.

Why do people act like China is a special case?

Because it is! EU does NOT have subsidies that favor either EU or national EV production. In Germany there is a per car subsidy that CUSTOMERS receive DISREGARDING where the car is built including China and USA. Favoring nationally built cars would be ILLEGAL in EU!! Germany opposed the import tax on Chinese cars. China has direct subsidies to both the development and manufacturing of EV cars inside China.

Just because EU also support EV sales, doesn’t mean they do it in a way that is anti-competitive like China and USA.
The EU taxes on cars from China is to compensate for Chinese subsidies that are anti competitive against cars made in other countries.
Unfortunately the tax on Chinese cars does not compensate for the disadvantage of European cars sold in China, So it doesn’t restore balance and fair competition completely.

In what way? American EV subsidies apply to any company that builds cars here whether they’re American or not. Chinese subsidies only apply to Chinese automakers.

Germany and the US aren’t subsidizing their cars to a price so low that they undercut everyone else in a foreign market. That’s the difference.