Editorial | Drivers to pay price of EU backlash against China electric vehicles
- Beijing accuses Brussels of protectionism over its threatened tariffs against imports of competitively priced quality cars, putting relations on an even rockier road
China’s electric vehicle (EV) manufacturers have become globally competitive in a short space of time, spurred by the rapid electrification and infrastructure to support a shift to greener modes of transport.
At the end of last year, BYD knocked Tesla off its throne as the largest seller in the world, though its US rival reclaimed pole position after a first-quarter sales slump.
Today, six out of 10 EVs are sold in China. But it is those sold outside the country that are causing a stir.
Price wars at home and ready supply have driven Chinese EV makers to markets abroad. Relatively low prices and improved quality have attracted buyers in the European Union, destination for some 40 per cent of China EV exports.
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Cheap EV alternative to Tesla and BYD takes off in small-town China
The rise has been breakneck. China’s share of the western European market was 0.5 per cent in 2019. By the fourth quarter of 2023 it was 9.3 per cent. Tomorrow, its dominance at making EVs will be on display at the opening of the Beijing auto show.
The result has been a rising crescendo of concern from EU leaders about “overcapacity” and dumping, ignoring the reality that Chinese EV makers are at the top of their game.