According to the latest figures, just 659 Chinese-produced fully hybrid cars – vehicles where a petrol or diesel engine charges the motor and battery – were sold in the EU in 2022. In the first seven months of this year, that number had rocketed to 160,662.
The dramatic increase comes after the EU introduced tariffs on Chinese-built electric vehicles in 2024, a move intended to counter what Brussels argued were unfair state subsidies. The tariffs appear to have pushed Chinese manufacturers toward hybrids, which are not covered by the levies.
The surge is ringing alarm bells in EU capitals, where policymakers are already grappling with a rapidly changing global auto market. European carmakers have warned that their long-term viability is at risk if Chinese imports continue to grow unchecked.
The Guardian's reporting notes that the EU imports three times more from China than it exports to the country, adding a broader trade dimension to the automotive concerns. The data underscores a widening gap between the bloc's ambitions to nurture a homegrown electric vehicle industry and the reality of Chinese dominance across multiple powertrain types.