Although Donald Trump has opposed policies that favor electric cars, if he becomes president he could ease regulatory scrutiny of Tesla or protect lucrative credits and subsidies.
Ford is struggling to make money on battery-powered models while General Motors, which started more slowly, says it is getting close to that goal.
Mary Barra, G.M.’s chief executive, said that the company had fixed battery-manufacturing problems and that its electric vehicles would soon be profitable.
The Minnesota governor running for vice president on the Democratic ticket also had strong words for Elon Musk, the billionaire businessman who is working to get former President Donald J. Trump elected.
After a delay of several months, General Motors said owners of its battery-powered models would now be able to use Tesla charging stations with adapters.
General Motors and the South Korean automaker say they will collaborate on new vehicles, buying parts and clean energy technologies.
With Trump once again in the Oval Office, America would be at risk of falling even further behind China in industrial competitiveness.
For the first time in its 87-year history, the automaker is considering shuttering factories in Germany, citing the need to remain competitive.
JD Vance, the Republican vice-presidential nominee, waded into a fight over plans by Gotion, a Chinese battery plant, to build a factory in Michigan.
The Taiwanese company has built a manufacturing hub in Zhengzhou, China, for its star customer Apple, but it is starting almost from scratch in the auto business.