Chinese electric cars, EU and China relations: strong presence on the market despite tariffs

The publication of Guidance document on the submission of price undertaking applications put in black and white (with the guidelines contained in eleven points which provide, among other things, a minimum amount regarding the price of each model, the annual sales volumes by the brands and future investments in one of the 27 member states) by the European Union and presented on January 12, 2026 led to a first (attempt at) rapprochement between Brussels and Beijing, even if at the moment the only concrete time horizon put in black and white remains that of October 31, 2029the expiration date of the five-year plan launched just over a year ago by the EU which provides for the imposition of duties on Chinese electric cars. A measure which, as is known, from the beginning also directly involves some battery-powered vehicles produced (in the context of specific joint ventures) in the shadow of the Great Wall and marketed by brands Europeans. And if, on the one hand, Beijing’s Ministry of Commerce anticipated the times and welcomed this new potential agreement, Brussels immediately pulled the brakes and spoke of a simple orientation in view of the coming months (even if Olof Gillspokesperson for the European Commission, confirmed that a company has submitted an offer to eliminate duties on a specific model made in China, using a fair and concrete price commitment).

the numbers of the leading Chinese brands in the EU

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2025 was the first year in which the parties were able to concretely evaluate the actual weight and effectiveness of the duties. A measure adopted by Brussels which, according to data provided by Acea, did not cause particular problems for the large Chinese groups, given that the brands Saic (with a market share of 1.4% and 191,043 registrations of electric or hybrid vehicles) and Byd (0.3%, with 110,715 vehicles of all engines) have maintained (and, if possible, increased) their leadership in EU countries, while in Italy (Unrae data) the reference point among electric vehicles is the Leapmotor T03 (6,242 units) followed by Byd Dolphin Surf (4.566), from MG4 (942) and from Byd Act 3 And Sealion 7. Confirmation, in this sense, also came from the European Commissioner for Trade Maros Sefcovicin the response to a question from the Spanish MEP of the Partido Popular Francisco José Millan Mon (EPP group) consulted by theAdnkronos. “Chinese electric cars retain a significant market share in the European Union – he declared – The EU countervailing duties are achieving their intended objective: offsetting the impact of Chinese subsidies without closing the EU market”.

duties, market shares and prospects

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While showing a certain optimism, also thanks to the investments made by European manufacturers, regarding the increase in electric cars (“The European market for battery electric vehicles is showing gradual, albeit slow, growth and sales of battery electric vehicles produced in the EU have increased significantly since the imposition of definitive countervailing duties in October 2024”), Sefcovic also believes that the measures currently in force are necessarythus denying any possible imminent elimination of duties. “By October 2024 – recalls the European Trade Commissioner – the size of the market had tripled and the volume of Chinese imports had been multiplied by almost 20 times, with battery electric vehicles from China representing almost 23% of the EU market. The comparison of volumes between the last 12 months (from October 2024 to September 2025) from the institution of the provisional measures in July 2024 and the 12 months immediately preceding (from July 2023 to June 2024), shows a about 15% drop in imports of battery electric vehicles from China. Despite this decline, Chinese products still represent a significant market share, at prices that eliminate the detrimental effects of subsidies.”