On July 4th, the EU announced a provisional anti-subsidy tariff on electric vehicles imported from China, with a final decision set for October 30th. On August 20th, the EU released a draft decision regarding the final anti-subsidy tariffs, adjusting the rates for different Chinese electric vehicle manufacturers based on the latest investigation progress.

Notably, as per a report from Commercial Times, the tariff on Tesla’s electric vehicles has been reduced from 20.8% in July to 9%. Tariffs on vehicles from BYD and Geely have also been slightly lowered.

On August 20th, the European Commission disclosed its draft decision on the final anti-subsidy investigation for electric vehicles imported from China, making slight adjustments to the proposed rates.

Tesla saw the most significant reduction, while BYD and Geely received minor cuts. Specifically, BYD’s tariff rate was reduced from 17.4% to 17%, and Geely’s from 19.9% to 19.3%.

Additionally, other companies that the EU deemed cooperative will face a tariff of 21.3%. Chinese automakers and SAIC Motor, which were assessed as not fully cooperating with the investigation, will have their tariffs adjusted from 37.6% to 36.3%.

The European Commission also decided not to retroactively impose the anti-subsidy tariffs, with the final decision expected by October 30th.

The EU maintains the opinion that Chinese electric vehicle production benefits from extensive government subsidies and thus proposes a final tariff of up to 36.3%, slightly lower than the provisional 37.6% tariff imposed on Chinese imports in early July.

In response, the China Chamber of Commerce to the EU expressed concerns, stating that both the development of the European automotive industry and reports from the EU itself show insufficient evidence that Chinese new energy vehicles have caused substantial harm to the EU market.

Source: China Chamber of Commerce

The Chamber criticized the EU’s decision to impose trade measures based on a perceived “threat of injury,” arguing that this approach contradicts WTO principles and is unacceptable to the industry.

The Chamber emphasized that the competitive edge of Chinese-made electric vehicles is not due to subsidies but rather stems from industrial scale, supply chain advantages, and intense market competition.

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Following an eight-month anti-subsidy investigation, the EU announced on June 12th that it will increase the temporary tariff rate on all Chinese electric vehicle companies from the current 10% to as high as 38.1%. According to a report from CNBC, the European Commission warned that if an agreement on automotive production capacity with China cannot be reached, the new tariffs will be implemented around July 4th.

Per the same report, the European Commission has announced the latest tariff rates, imposing additional tariffs on Chinese electric vehicle manufacturers BYD, Geely, and SAIC Group at rates of 17.4%, 20%, and 38.1%, respectively.

Other companies cooperating with the investigation will be subject to a 21% tariff, while non-cooperating companies will face tariffs as high as 38.1%. American automotive giant Tesla’s electric vehicles produced in China will be subject to a separate tariff rate following the investigation.

As per another report from BBC cited by Commercial Times, nearly 50% of the electric vehicles exported from China to the EU are from Western car brands such as Tesla, Volkswagen, and BMW, with Tesla alone accounting for about 40%. In contrast, the annual sales of Chinese electric vehicle brands in Europe are less than 200,000 units, with a market share of less than 8%, mainly represented by BYD, SAIC Group (which owns the European brand MG), and Geely.

Per a report from the Global Times on June 12th, China’s Ministry of Commerce strongly reacted, expressing discontent on the matter. China, reportedly, will closely monitor the EU’s subsequent actions and take all necessary measures to firmly defend the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese enterprises. The China Association of Automobile Manufacturers also expressed deep regret and stated that the decision is absolutely unacceptable.

Although the EU has decided to impose high tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles, there are still differing opinions among various parties. The German government and automotive industry have reacted most strongly, fearing it could ignite a China-EU trade war.

As per a report from Barron’s, German Transport Minister Volker Wissing stated that, “The European Commission’s punitive tariffs hit German companies and their top products. Cars must become cheaper through more competition, open markets and significantly better business conditions in the EU, not through trade war and market isolation.”

Per a report from Reuters, BMW Group Chairman Oliver Zipse stated that the European Commission’s decision to impose tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles is a wrong way to go. Volkswagen expressed that the European Commission’s decision detrimental to the current weak demand for BEV vehicles in Germany and Europe.

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(Photo credit: Pixabay)

The European Commission initiated an investigation into Chinese electric cars in October last year, targeting BYD, SAIC Group and Geely, with plans to impose provisional tariffs on new electric cars imported from China. According to previous media reports, the plans were originally scheduled to be announced by June 5th. However, as per Reuters citing sources in a latest report, the new date for announcing the imposition of temporary tariffs has been set for June 10th, after the European Parliament election.

The sources cited in the report also mentioned that the delay was due to last-minute technical issues with the documents. As of now, the European Commission has not provided comments on this matter.

Yet, the same report further noted that the European Commission has formally warned the three Chinese electric car companies under anti-subsidy investigation that the data they provided for the investigation was insufficient.

According to trade data from 2023, for every additional 10% tariff imposed by the European Union on top of the existing 10%, Chinese electric car exporters would lose approximately $1 billion.

Reuters reported that past subsidy investigations launched by the European Union on other products imported from China resulted in additional tariffs ranging from approximately 9% to 26% for related companies, while the tariffs on the Chinese electric car companies may possbly fall between this range.

The report also indicated that China may be preparing alternative plans for future negotiations. If enough EU members oppose the temporary tariffs after four months, there might be challenges to the EU’s temporary tariffs, possibly leading to their cancellation.

According to an earlier analysis by Trendforce, with China’s subsidies gradually phasing out and the increasing market penetration of NEVs in the country, the growth rate of China’s NEV market is starting to slow. This, coupled with the growing demand for electric vehicles in overseas markets, is prompting numerous Chinese automotive brands to expand internationally. But they may have to counter various challenges, as countervailing duty investigation being one of them.

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(Photo credit: Pixabay)