UK media: Sales of Chinese electric vehicles in Europe hit a new high, prompting scrutiny of tariff policies.
According to data from Schmidt Automotive Research, Chinese brands' share of the pure electric vehicle market in Western Europe rose to 14.2% in the first five months of this year, meaning one out of every seven electric vehicles sold is from China, with sales reaching 171,800 units—a nearly 5-percentage-point increase compared to the same period last year.
Despite the European Union imposing additional tariffs of up to 35.3% on certain Chinese automakers, Chinese brands continue to accelerate their expansion into Europe, with BYD, Chery, SAIC, XPeng, and others all entering the European market.
The UK, which has not imposed additional tariffs, has become the largest market, accounting for a quarter of Chinese EV sales; Italy, meanwhile, has seen its share reach one-fifth due to Leapmotor's low-priced T03 model, made possible through car purchase subsidies.
Analysts believe that given limited shipping capacity and the shift by Chinese automakers toward plug-in hybrid models currently exempt from tariffs, the share of pure electric vehicles may have already peaked—but the EU may extend tariffs to the plug-in hybrid segment.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1873058359337984/
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