Insiders suggest that EU leaders have made it clear that imposing tariffs on market-disrupting Chinese vehicles is imperative if Britain wishes to be included within the Made in Europe scheme. Whether the Government will want to be seen to be bending to EU demands is another story, although UK car industry officials have suggested that not securing a deal could be disastrous; the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders suggested last month that not being part of the ‘Made in Europe’ scheme could not only threaten the UK-EU trade relationship worth around 80 billion Euros (£68bn), but thousands of jobs on both sides, too.
In a statement, a Government spokesperson said: “We have not put tariffs on Chinese EVs. We continue to engage closely with industry so that our approach reflects the sector’s and the UK’s national interests.”
In the meantime, the Chinese Jaecoo 7 was named the best-selling car during September’s bumper month for new registrations. The Jaecoo is now the second best-selling car of 2026 overall, with China’s MG and BYD both also making it into the lists of top-selling models and electric cars respectively. In fact, Auto Express analysis earlier this year uncovered that China is now the UK’s second-most popular county for automotive brands, coming ahead of Japan and Korea and just behind Germany.
The Insight director at Cox Automotive, Philip Nothard, said: “The increasing influence of Chinese manufacturers is impossible to ignore. Their growing presence is stimulating competition and a greater range of consumer choice. Still, it is also intensifying pressure on established brands, especially as the industry continues to work towards increasingly demanding EV targets.”
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