Listen to the article: Audio text automatically generated by an automated system

0:00

3 minutes to read

A study showed that Western automakers have again increased their electric car production in Europe since the European Union imposed tariffs on electric cars imported from China.

According to the study, the share of pure electric cars made in China by Western companies fell from 38% of total EV sales in Europe in 2024 to 23% in the first quarter of this year.

These results came in a study conducted by the European Transport Federation "T&E", based on production and sales data from "Global Data", and included Western brands "BMW", "Dacia", "Volvo", "Smart", and "Tesla", according to the German news agency "dpa".

For example, the share of Teslas manufactured in China fell from 23% to 19% of the total European EV market over the same period.

In contrast, the study showed that tariffs did not significantly curb imports of electric cars produced by Chinese companies.

According to the study, Chinese companies BYD and Geely in particular managed to significantly increase their exports to Europe since tariffs were imposed in 2024, mainly due to their large production surplus in China.

SAIC Motor was an exception, as its sales in Europe dropped significantly since 2024. T&E explained that this is because electric cars produced by SAIC are subject to customs duties nearly double those imposed on BYD or Geely cars, as the EU concluded in an investigation that SAIC benefits more from government support in the value chain than its competitors.

Government Support in China

However, the European Transport Federation said that Chinese companies also moved a larger share of their EV production to Europe, adding that since the EU launched its investigation into government subsidies in 2023, plans have been announced to set up ten production plants on the continent, and Chinese companies have increasingly relied on exporting plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) from China.

The study stated: "Chinese brands now hold a 13% share of the plug-in hybrid vehicle market in the EU, compared to about 3% in 2024."

T&E's results are broadly consistent with production data from the German Association of the Automotive Industry. According to this data, production of battery electric vehicles in Germany rose by 15% last year to 1.22 million cars, despite a sharp decline in sales. However, the association's data does not clarify whether this is due to a shift of production capacity from China.

Ad material

Ad material

Read also

Stellantis car shipments rise in second quarter, driven by strong growth in North America and Europe cars

Belgium plans to impose road tolls on cars from May 2027; the permit will be linked to the vehicle's license plate cars

Volkswagen proceeds with largest restructuring in its history amid pressures hitting the auto industry; the company confirms it will continue cutting costs and boosting competitiveness cars