China’s electric vehicle shipments to the European Union defied the bloc’s newly imposed tariffs to report a surprise uptick in December, prompting market worries that Sino-European trade tensions could escalate further in 2025.
According to Chinese customs data released on Monday, the volume of Chinese electric vehicles exported to the EU rose to 32,849 units in December, up 8.3 percent year over year.
The gains reversed two consecutive months of sharp declines, largely driven by the EU’s decision to raise tariffs on Chinese EVs by up to 45 percent starting in October. Sales in October plunged almost 40 percent, while November sales were down by a quarter.
The EU remained the top buyer of Chinese EVs in 2024, purchasing nearly 30 percent of China’s outbound shipments. However, the 27-nation bloc saw its total annual imports of Chinese EVs fall 6 percent year over year in 2024.
According to the data, Belgium, Germany, Spain, the Netherlands, and Romania were the major European buyers of Chinese EVs.
Analysts warned that there was a high risk of a further deterioration in EU-China ties this year, with protectionist policies potentially targeting more trade products.