EU to China: Put a stop to the sale of hybrids

The EU to China: impose voluntary limits on hybrid car exports to Europe. Otherwise, tariffs similar to those for electric cars will apply. Those interested in such cars had better hurry…?

The EU to China: the alternative is more tariffs

What has happened over the past two years is well known. In Brussels, it was believed that China’s strength lay primarily in electric cars. As a result, tariffs (of varying degrees, applied per manufacturer) were imposed to curb their advancement. This posed no problem for manufacturers from that large Asian country, which then redirected exports to the old continent toward hybrid vehicles. With great success, even in Italy. For example, among plug-in cars, there are 6 Chinese models among the top 10 best sellers in the first 8 months of 2026 (source: Unrae). Chinese presence is also very significant in full and mild hybrid vehicles. That’s why the European Union has asked Beijing to voluntarily limit the export of these vehicles, writes The Financial Times.

50,000 arrive each month

The goal would be to limit Chinese hybrids to 15% of the European market share, down from over a third currently. This requirement is on the agenda in the negotiations between Brussels and Beijing these weeks. For now it is just a proposal, but one European official consulted by the Financial Times clarified that without an agreement, the EU is prepared to take action. Presumably by adding a tariff of 10% on top of the regular import duty from China. The article provides two figures to give an idea of the scale of the problem. In October 2024, the European Union imported about 3,800 hybrid cars from China, while by July 2026 that figure rose to around 50,000 units.

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