Never before have there been so many Chinese electric cars in Europe. The fear of the punitive duty, which turned out to be good enough, boosted the registrations.
The number of Chinese electric cars has never been higher in Europe. At least not when you look at the number of registrations in June.
This is shown by new figures from Dataforce, which the financial media Bloomberg refers to.
In total, more than 230,000 electric cars from Chinese car brands have been registered around Europe in the month of June. According to Dataforce, this is an increase of 72 percent compared to the month of May.
The best – at least on paper – has gone for SAIC Motor. Here it is the MG that pulls up. The question then is whether MG can keep up the steam when the punitive tariff from the EU, which is provisionally valid until October 2024, takes effect.
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SAIC is one of the groups that has refused to work with the EU when the union investigated whether Chinese car brands receive illegal state subsidies from the communist dictatorship.
Therefore, SAIC/MG must also pay a penalty duty of 38.1 percent when you want to bring cars into the EU. A bill the group cannot avoid sending to anyone other than the customers. Unless the Chinese are willing to contribute their own profits.
That being said, there are indications that the air may have already deflated MG's balloon. At least in Germany. Here, the importer actually gives the cars away for free. Read more about how here .
In this country, during the first half of 2024, which is the latest period for which figures are available, 766 cars from MG were registered.
The government in Beijing has not yet responded again to the EU's punitive tariffs. But several expect that the Chinese will go straight to hitting certain European car brands that are otherwise successful in selling more expensive cars in China.
Especially the Germans, who sell the so-called 'premium cars' to the Chinese, have reason to be concerned. Read more about it here .
Read more exciting news from and about the world of cars right here!
