A surge in Chinese hybrid car imports into the European Union has raised alarms in Brussels, as sales of these vehicles have skyrocketed since anti-subsidy tariffs were applied to fully electric Chinese imports. While fully hybrid sales were minimal in 2022, they have exploded in the first half of this year, reaching over 160,000 units—sparking fears over the competitive threat to Europe’s domestic automotive sector. The shift highlights how tariff exemptions may be inadvertently accelerating reliance on foreign-made alternatives, complicating efforts to protect local carmakers. With EU exports to China lagging far behind imports, the imbalance underscores deeper trade tensions in the automotive industry.
Explosive growth in imported vehicles omitted from EV tariffs fuels concern for future of European carmakersEU imports three times more from China than bloc exports thereBusiness news – live updatesSales of Chinese hybrid cars have rocketed in the EU in the past four and a half years, new data shows, underlining growing concerns in Brussels over the future of the European car industry.In 2022, just 659 Chinese-made fully hybrid cars (vehicles in which the petrol or diesel engine charge the motor and battery) were sold in the EU. However, after Brussels imposed anti-subsidy tariffs on fully electric cars from China in 2024, sales of hybrids have shot up to 160,662 in the first seven months of this year. Continue reading...
