BEIJING: China-made electric vehicles (EVs) accounted for 14.2 percent of western European sales in the first five months of 2026, rising despite the EU’s steep tariffs, according to a research. The figure showed that protectionist trade barriers can only serve as short‑lived obstacles, as consumers’ purchasing choices ultimately hinge on product competitiveness and China’s EV strengths will support automakers’ long‑term growth, Chinese experts said.
The share of EVs sold by Chinese companies rose to 14.2 percent in the western European market in the first five months of this year, according to Schmidt Automotive Research. The 171,800 EVs represented an increase in market share of 5.0 percentage points from one year earlier, The Guardian reported on Sunday.
The increase in European sales came despite EU tariffs of up to 35.3 percent for EVs made by some Chinese manufacturers, on top of the standard 10 percent import duty. The UK is the largest European market for Chinese cars because London has declined to follow the EU’s lead in imposing more levies. The UK accounted for one-quarter of Chinese EV sales in western Europe, according to the report.
Cui Dongshu, secretary-general of the China Passenger Car Association, told the Global Times on Monday that the rise showed that protectionist trade policies have failed to contain Chinese automakers’ overseas expansion.
Chinese EVs enjoy “a generational edge” over Europe’s legacy carmakers. Their overall product strength is the primary reason for their popularity among European buyers, Cui Dongshu said.
Volatile global oil prices have pushed up driving costs throughout Europe, fueling demand for affordable EVs, a need that is met well by affordable Chinese‑made models. Meanwhile, the gradual return of European EV purchase subsidies has lowered purchase barriers and lifted total EV sales, which has in turn worked to the advantage of Chinese exporters, Cui Dongshu said.
Chinese brands’ market share expanded in Europe in the first half of 2026, driven by local subsidies and higher oil prices, Fitch Ratings said in a report sent to the Global Times.
The combined market share of leading Chinese brands in the EU, European Free Trade Association and UK rose to 11 percent in the first half, up from 7 percent a year earlier. The largest Chinese players, Geely Group (including Volvo Car) and SAIC Motor, expanded steadily despite the tariffs. The main drivers of market share gains were BYD, Chery and Leap Motor, according to Fitch Ratings.
Cui Dongshu noted that China’s EV edge comes from its full‑fledged industrial ecosystem. Officials from China’s Ministry of Commerce told a press conference on July 28 that China boasts a complete, high‑efficiency EV industrial chain covering raw materials, auto parts, finished cars and production equipment, with industry clusters enabling rapid component supplies. China has now ranked first globally in NEV sales for 11 consecutive years.
“Protectionism can only put up short‑term entry barriers. It cannot erase the solid strengths of Chinese EVs or stop Chinese brands from establishing a lasting foothold in Europe,” Cui Dongshu said.
Yet, geopolitical risks remain as the EU has reportedly considered expanding tariffs to restrict Chinese plug-in hybrid EVs.
German media outlet Handelsblatt reported on June 19 that the EU is drawing up new measures to shield its single market more tightly against Chinese imports in the near future, citing senior EU officials and industry insiders. Specifically, the plan could contain countervailing duties on Chinese‑made plug‑in hybrids.
The rising share of Chinese‑brand EVs despite EU tariffs has demonstrated that trade barriers cannot distort market choices. If the EU carries out its planned countervailing duties on Chinese plug‑in hybrids, the measure will yield only limited results, Cui Hongjian, a professor at the Academy of Regional and Global Governance at Beijing Foreign Studies University, told the Global Times on Monday.
Europe’s problems stem from weak competitiveness and flawed energy policies. The EU ought to cast aside its confrontational mindset, remove unfair restrictions and pursue consultations and cooperation with China. Shifting industrial‑sector conflicts outward cannot remedy the weaknesses of its EV sector and will only damage the EU’s reputation for destroying free trade, Cui Hongjian said. –The Daily Mail-Global Times news exchange item
