EU tariffs curb Chinese EV imports, boost battery influx

The European Union introduced duties on battery‑electric vehicles (BEVs) imported from China in 2024. In the first quarter of 2026 the share of Chinese‑made EVs in the EU market fell from a peak of 22 % to 17 %, a decline primarily driven by Western manufacturers such as Tesla, BMW and Volvo moving production from China to Europe.

Chinese marques that faced lower duties – notably BYD (17 % tariff) and Geely – more than doubled their imports despite the measures, while SAIC, subject to a 35 % duty, saw its imports halved.

Car batteries are largely exempt from the duties; imports from China have risen seven‑fold between 2020 and 2025, leaving the EU to source less than one‑quarter of its battery demand locally.

The study by Transport & Environment notes that the share of European‑produced EVs in Chinese‑origin BEV imports dropped from 38 % in 2024 to 23 % in early 2026. Chinese manufacturers are also relocating production to Europe – ten new EU sites have been announced since 2023 – and are increasing their share of plug‑in hybrid (PHEV) sales from 3 % to 13 % of the EU market.