Electric car tariffs? China responds with new hybrid cars

Hybrid car imports from China are increasing and many new models will arrive in 2025

By: Massimo Grassi

Dec 7, 2024 at 7:40am ET

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The duties on Chinese electric cars imported into Europe have started and the real effects on price increases will begin to be seen in 2025, when stocks already on European soil will run out. So prices will rise, at least until an agreement is reached. In the meantime, Eastern manufacturers are not standing idly by and, with the help of an electric market that is struggling to take off in the Old Continent, are starting to plan a new approach with hybrid cars.

As Reuters points out, imports of electrified cars are increasing, especially those of plug-in models. According to some analysts, the share of PHEVs will grow by 20 per cent in 2024, with a further increase in 2025.

What the numbers say

According to the China Passenger Car Association, 2024 saw an increase in the share of hybrid models, with 18% of exports in the third quarter represented by plug-in cars, twice as much as in the first quarter. However, the share of EV shipments dropped to 58% from 62% in the same period.

Period	Petrol cars	Hybrid cars	Plug-in cars	Electric cars
First quarter	27%	5%	4%	62%
Second quarter	14%	10%	4%	71%
Third quarter	24%	11%	7%	58%

A trend that, as mentioned, could increase in 2025 even if plug-ins still fail to break through. Between January and October 2024, they accounted for 7% of sales against 13.2% for electrics.

Feeding	Petrol	Diesel	Hybrids	PHEV	BEV	Others
Sales	34%	12.3%	30.4%	7%	13.2%	3.1%

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MG ZS

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Saying exactly what will arrive in Europe is not easy, considering the speed with which Chinese manufacturers choose models to export or not from their ranges. We do know that by 2025 BYD intends to export to the Old Continent new models with DM-i technology, brought to debut by the Seal U, whose £39,905 price tag is well below that of competitors like the Volkswagen Tiguan. As Stella Li - the company's vice president - told us in an interview if the electric car is in crisis, BYD's answer is the advanced hybrid.

BYD Seal U DM-i

Looking at other manufacturers Lynk & Co (owned by Geely) has recently unveiled the new Lynk & Co 01 while MG (part of the SAIC Group) is also focusing on the full hybrid with the MG3 and the new MG ZS.