Chinese EVs hit 14.2% of European sales despite tariffs

China-made electric vehicles captured 14.2 percent of European market sales in the first five months of 2026, a five-percentage-point jump from a year earlier, according to data from Schmidt Automotive Research cited by the Guardian. The 171,800 EVs sold represented roughly one in every seven battery-electric vehicles registered across western Europe, underscoring the limits of trade barriers that the European Union imposed in late 2024.globaltimes+1

The growth came despite EU tariffs of up to 35.3 percent on EVs from some Chinese manufacturers, layered on top of a standard 10 percent import duty. BYD, Chery, and Leap Motor were the main drivers of market-share gains, according to Fitch Ratings. The Geely Group, which includes Volvo Car, and SAIC Motor also expanded steadily.electrive+1

UK Leads as Europe's Biggest Market for Chinese Cars

The United Kingdom emerged as the largest European market for Chinese-made vehicles, accounting for a quarter of all Chinese EV sales on the continent. London has declined to follow the EU's lead in imposing additional levies, giving Chinese brands relatively unobstructed access. Chinese models penetrated 15 percent of the UK's new-car market in the first quarter of 2026 alone, according to Schmidt Automotive Research.linkedin+1

Across the EU itself, separate data from the European Automobile Manufacturers' Association showed battery-electric registrations climbed 51 percent year-over-year in June, with Chinese brands capturing a record 10.9 percent share of Europe's total new-car market that month, according to Automotive News Europe. Reuters reported that electrified vehicles accounted for nearly 70 percent of all new registrations in June.autonews+1

South Korea Emerges as New Production Strategy

Facing mounting trade restrictions in both the United States and Europe, Chinese automakers are now eyeing South Korea as a manufacturing base to help sustain their overseas expansion. According to UPI, companies are pursuing Korean manufacturing tie-ups, co-development arrangements, and local production partnerships.upi

KG Mobility plans to sell about $75 million in convertible bonds to Chery Global Innovations, which would give Chery roughly a 10 percent ownership stake. Geely, meanwhile, holds 34 percent of Renault Korea, whose Busan plant already builds the Polestar 4 electric SUV for export to North America.finance.yahoo+1

Tariff Expansion Under Consideration

The EU may not stop at battery-electric vehicles. Handelsblatt reported in June that the European Commission is drawing up countervailing duties on Chinese-made plug-in hybrid vehicles, which have so far been exempt from the additional tariffs. The planned measures would be manufacturer-specific but likely lower on average than those for fully electric models, given that batteries account for a smaller share of value in hybrids.electrive

Whether further trade barriers will slow the momentum remains uncertain. As the Financial Times noted in July, Chinese manufacturers are making rapid inroads into Europe's electric-car market with an overall 14 percent share of new registrations.ft