The European Commission is weighing whether to extend its existing trade measures on Chinese electric vehicles to include hybrid cars, a move that would significantly broaden the scope of goods affected by the bloc’s anti-dumping policy, according to reporting by Euractiv.
European Commissioner Stéphane Séjourné confirmed to Euractiv that the EU executive is debating the introduction of special tariffs on hybrid vehicles imported from China, similar to those already imposed on battery-electric cars. Since 2024, the European Union has applied additional duties ranging from 7.8% to 35.3% on Chinese-made electric vehicles, on top of the standard 10% import tariff, following an anti-subsidy investigation.
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The discussion reflects concerns in Brussels that Chinese manufacturers are increasingly shifting exports toward hybrids to offset the impact of higher tariffs on pure electric vehicles. Chinese hybrid vehicle exports to the EU rose by 155% in 2025, compared with a 12% increase in electric vehicle shipments over the same period, according to figures cited by Euractiv.
Séjourné, one of the European Commission’s vice-presidents, has raised the issue repeatedly, questioning why hybrids produced under similar conditions should not face comparable measures. His office has argued that European manufacturers require “the same level of protection and fair competitive conditions” as those sought in the electric vehicle market.
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The debate comes as Beijing and Brussels continue negotiations over an alternative mechanism that would allow Chinese automakers to avoid tariffs by committing to minimum import prices for electric vehicles. While China’s Ministry of Commerce and affected manufacturers have welcomed the price-commitment option, the European Commission has cautioned that the availability of guidelines does not imply that existing tariffs will be lifted.
Industry observers say that expanding the policy to hybrids could increase pressure on Chinese exporters, as it would multiply the volume of vehicles subject to either tariffs or minimum price rules. According to The Economist, hybrid models now account for about one-third of China’s passenger car exports globally and could overtake both electric and petrol vehicles by mid-2026.
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The Commission has not specified whether any future measures would apply uniformly across different hybrid technologies, such as plug-in hybrids, range-extended electric vehicles or mild hybrids. No timeline has been announced for a potential decision, and any proposal would require further internal approval before being formally introduced.
