Is the victim already abandoned? Even if the recent statement by Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Commission, is not yet a declaration of a trade war, this could have serious consequences for relations with China.
“World markets are flooded with cheap Chinese EVs thanks to artificially low prices thanks to huge government subsidies. It distorts the market. Therefore, I announce an anti-subsidy investigation”– she said a few days ago in front of the European Parliament.
Therefore, Europe wants to “free” itself from this dependence on China in the field of electric vehicles, but not only. The executive branch is also concerned excessive dependence on Asian batteries and raw materials. What can we expect in the coming weeks?
Electric cars, but not only
According to a document provided by the British news agency Reuters, European leaders are to discuss “energy security” at a summit to be held on October 5 in Spain. In this way, the Iberian Peninsula will become an arena for discussions and, perhaps, strict measures against the import of Chinese electric cars.
Few details have been released, but it appears the European Commission will bring new proposals to the table to reduce the risks of single-supplier dependence and diversify supply sources, by creating new partnerships with Africa and Latin America or strengthening existing ones.
China knew how to predict, not Europe
But why can’t Europe break away from China? To answer this question, let’s go back to the beginning of the last decade. It was 2010 when Beijing launched a program to stimulate the production and purchase of electric vehicles. In this way, the country is laying the foundations for becoming a world leader in the sale of electric vehicles and processing of raw materials.
Thirteen years later, the results of this work are visible: in 2023, China’s exports to the EU increased by 112% compared to the previous year and by 361% compared to 2021. The share of vehicles increased by 8% and may reach 15% by 2025.
Read also:
• Chinese electric cars: a radical way that Europe has found to prevent the “overflow”
• Europe wants to put obstacles in the way of Chinese electric cars
• According to Volkswagen, China is “two to three years ahead” of electric vehicles
Source: Auto Plus
Robert is an experienced journalist who has been covering the automobile industry for over a decade. He has a deep understanding of the latest technologies and trends in the industry and is known for his thorough and in-depth reporting.