China EV exports to EU soar ahead of incoming levies

Surge in shipments suggests Chinese EV makers are hoping to avoid impending tariffs, due to come into effect at the end of October

Electric vehicles in China bound for shipment to Europe.

China exported more than 60,000 electric vehicles to the European Union in September, with shipments jumping to the second-highest level on record ahead of additional tariffs expected to take effect at the end of this month.

Firms from Asia’s biggest economy shipped 60,517 EVs to the 27 nations in the European trade bloc last month, up 61% from last year, according to customs data. The previous peak of 67,455 vehicles was in October 2023, when the European Commission announced it was launching an anti-subsidy investigation into China-made EVs.