Chinese electric vehicles (EVs) deployed near or inside US military bases overseas pose a serious espionage risk, capable of storing camera footage of sensitive locations and routing it to servers in China, according to an analysis published in The National Interest. The report, authored by Christopher Nye, warns that while the United States has moved to restrict China-linked vehicles domestically and on its own bases, several allied countries hosting American troops have yet to follow suit.

Kadena Ban and the US Regulatory Push

Starting 26 October, Kadena Air Base on Okinawa, Japan banned vehicles manufactured by BYD — the Chinese electric-vehicle giant — from entering its premises. The ban covers private cars, taxis, vans, and contractor vehicles. A base spokesperson stated that the vehicles 'present an unacceptable and unmitigable risk to our personnel and our mission.'

Back in the United States, a Commerce Department rule bars Chinese connected-vehicle software from model year 2027 and hardware from 2030, and prohibits Chinese-controlled automakers from selling connected cars in America from model year 2027 onward, regardless of where those vehicles are assembled. In June, the department denied Polestar — the Swedish brand owned by China's Geely — the authorisation required to sell cars in the US from model year 2027, even though one of its models is assembled in South Carolina. That same month, the Pentagon added BYD to its list of Chinese military companies.

Allied Nations Still Allowing Chinese EVs on Sensitive Sites

The report highlights a critical gap: American troops stationed overseas are subject to allied laws, and not all host nations have imposed similar restrictions. In South Korea, at least 190 Chinese connected cars are registered to enter military sites, according to a report by The Chosun Ilbo on 16 October. The affected bases include the Cheongju base that flies F-35s, the Yecheon wing receiving the first KF-21s, the Busan naval command where American carriers berth, and the submarine command at Jinhae.

A week earlier, the JoongAng Ilbo cited navy records showing that unregistered Chinese vehicles had entered South Korean naval facilities at least 565 times this year. Seoul's defence ministry has said it will restrict connected cars at sensitive sites by year's end.

Norway's Home Guard Exercise Exposes Data Risk

In September, Norway's Home Guard conducted an exercise at Oslo's airport using rental cars that included Deepal models from Changan, a state-controlled Chinese automaker. When soldiers interacted with the vehicles' touchscreens, they discovered stored camera footage documenting who had entered and exited the vehicles, the routes driven, and the access codes used to open gates and doors at military facilities.

An official at Norway's National Security Authority said, 'We don't know for sure where the information is sent or what it's used for.' The incident underscores how connected-vehicle data collection can occur passively, without deliberate activation by the driver.

What Automakers' Own Policies Reveal

The analysis points to Chinese automakers' own privacy disclosures as evidence of potential data transfer pathways. MG, a brand of the state-owned SAIC group, tells British customers that in 'specific and clearly defined cases' their personal data 'may also be processed in China' by its parent company in Shanghai. Xpeng's British privacy policy allows transfers to 'our affiliates, such as our headquarters in China.'

Critics argue these contractual provisions create a legal channel for sensitive location and behavioural data to flow to Chinese entities, even absent any overt cyber intrusion. This comes amid broader Western scrutiny of Chinese technology in critical infrastructure, from telecoms to port equipment.

What Happens Next

The focus is now on whether Washington will push allied governments to harmonise vehicle-access policies at shared military facilities. South Korea has signalled intent to act by year's end, but the timeline and enforcement mechanism remain unclear. As more allied nations expand their EV fleets — often driven by green-transition mandates — the intersection of climate policy and national security is likely to sharpen into a live diplomatic issue.