Finance
Factbox-EU tariffs on imports of China-made EVs
Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on February 11, 2026
3 min readLast updated: February 11, 2026
Quick Summary
The EU has imposed tariffs on Chinese EV imports, impacting automakers like Volkswagen and Tesla. Some companies are negotiating exemptions.
EU Implements New Tariffs on Chinese Electric Vehicle Imports
Overview of EU Tariffs on Chinese Electric Vehicles
BRUSSELS, Feb 11 (Reuters) - The European Commission has imposed additional duties on imported electric vehicles made in China since 2024, though under European Union rules carmakers can now negotiate tariff exemptions for individual electric models imported from China.
Details of Tariff Rates by Company
In February 2026 the Commission approved, in a first such move, a request by Volkswagen's Cupra brand to free its Tavascan SUV coupe, which is made in China, from import tariffs in exchange for a minimum price and annual quota model.
Impact on Automakers and Future Applications
Chinese automakers are now looking at applying for similar deals for EV models they want to ship to Europe, according to the China Chamber of Commerce to the EU.
The EU had previously cut the proposed final tariffs on China-made Tesla cars and slightly trimmed rates for other carmakers, after taking into account submissions by the companies in its anti-subsidy investigation.
The following tariffs are on top of the EU's standard 10% import duty for cars.
Includes/Additional
Company Notes* Definitive
countervailing
duty
BYD Group — BYD Auto 17%
— BYD Auto Industry
— Changsha BYD Auto
— Changsha Xingchao Auto
— Changzhou BYD Auto
— Fuzhou BYD Industrial
— Hefei BYD Auto
— Jinan BYD Auto
Geely Group Asia Euro Automobile Manufacture 18.8%
(Taizhou)
— Chongqing Lifan Passenger
Vehicle
— Fengsheng Automobile (Jiangsu)
— Shanxi New Energy Automobile
Industry
— Zhejiang Geely Automobile
— Zhejiang Haoqing Automobile
Manufacturing
— Zhongjia Automobile
Manufacturing (Chengdu)
SAIC Group — SAIC MAXUS Automotive 35.3%
— SAIC Motor Corporation
— Nanjing Automobile (Group)
Corporation
— SAIC Volkswagen Automotive
— SAIC GM Wuling Automobile
— SAIC General Motors
Tesla * The EU sets an individually 7.8%
(Shanghai) calculated duty rate for Tesla
Co Ltd after a request from the U.S. EV
maker. It had earlier been
designated as a cooperating
company.
Other - Aiways Automobile 20.7%
Co-operating — Anhui Jianghuai Automobile
Companies Group
— BMW Brilliance Automotive
— Chery Automobile
— China FAW Corp
— Chongqing Changan Automobile
— Dongfeng Motor Group
— Great Wall Motor
— Leapmotor Automobile
— Nanjing Golden Dragon Bus
— NIO Holding
— XPeng Inc
Volkswagen *The European Commission 0%
Cupra approved a request by
Tavascan SUV Volkswagen's Cupra brand to free
coupe its Tavascan SUV coupe, which is
made in China, from import
tariffs in exchange for a
minimum price and import quota.
All Other 35.3%
Companies
(Reporting by Philip Blenkinsop in Brussels; Writing by Adam Jourdan, Editing by William Maclean)
Key Takeaways
- •The EU has imposed new tariffs on Chinese-made electric vehicles.
- •Volkswagen's Cupra brand secured a tariff exemption for its Tavascan SUV.
- •Tesla received a reduced tariff rate after negotiations.
- •Chinese automakers are exploring similar tariff exemption deals.
- •The tariffs are part of the EU's anti-subsidy measures.
Frequently Asked Questions about Factbox-EU tariffs on imports of China-made EVs
1What is the European Commission?
The European Commission is the executive branch of the European Union responsible for proposing legislation, implementing decisions, and managing the day-to-day operations of the EU.
2What are electric vehicles?
Electric vehicles (EVs) are cars that are powered by electric motors instead of internal combustion engines, using electricity stored in batteries.
3What is a countervailing duty?
A countervailing duty is a tariff imposed on imported goods to offset subsidies provided to producers in the exporting country, ensuring fair competition.
4What is the automotive industry?
The automotive industry encompasses all companies and activities involved in the design, development, manufacturing, marketing, and selling of motor vehicles.
