Used Chinese electric vehicles see 280% sales increase in Europe

Sales of used Chinese electric vehicles (EVs) to European Union customers rose by 280% during the first nine months of 2026, reaching 7,900 units, according to data from China EV Marketplace. During the same period, the company's sales of new vehicles fell by 44%.

This shift is largely driven by trade barriers. Since 2024, the EU has applied anti-subsidy duties on new Chinese-made EVs, with total tariffs reaching up to 45.3% depending on the manufacturer. Additionally, a new import ceiling applies to Chinese plug-in hybrids. However, Chinese EVs with more than 6,000 kilometers on the odometer are classified as used vehicles, allowing them to bypass these additional levies and only incur the standard 10% import duty plus local VAT.

Jakub Gersl, COO of China EV Marketplace, stated that used vehicles have become the core of their European operations because they are exempt from the additional BEV levies and the new PHEV quota. The company reports finding vehicles with approximately 6,000 kilometers that are priced roughly 40% lower than their original Chinese catalog price, though this does not account for transport, taxes, and registration costs in Europe.