A VW ID. GTI Concept electric vehicle on display at the Volkswagen during the Munich Motor Show. VW brand chief Thomas Schäfer said: “I don’t believe in tariffs. I want everybody to compete on the same terms.”. Photographer: Krisztian Bocsi/BloombergBrussels should not raise tariffs on imported Chinese electric cars, and doing so would risk “retaliation” against international brands in the country, the head of the Volkswagen brand has warned.
His comments echo concerns raised by Mercedes-Benz boss Ola Källenius, who in March called on Brussels to cut tariffs on Chinese EVs. At present, Chinese EVs are subject to a 10 per cent tariff when imported to Europe. European carmakers pay 15 per cent when exporting to China, which is part of the reason most German models sold in China are made in the country.
Volkswagen, which previously accounted for almost one in five cars sold in China, has seen its market share in electric vehicles fall to under 5 per cent.