AlixPartners comments on EU Tariffs on electric vehicles

“This is less of a roadblock than Brussels may want to believe. Whilst this may slow down the short-term imports of Chinese electric vehicles, today’s announcement is more likely to accelerate the extent to which Chinese OEMs and suppliers manufacture their products within Europe – something that we have already started to see. 

“While this slow-down would not be good news for consumers and cities with zero emission needs, the establishment of new European-manufactured electric vehicles by Chinese companies would certainly be welcomed. For established manufacturers (including those from Asia), however, this would create more competition in a sector that is already over-capacity, leading to large scale disruptions of existing manufacturing sites as they rebalance their resources.” 

For further information, please contact Andrew Bergbaum, Global Co-Head of our Automotive and Industrial Practice.