Carmakers unhappy after EU hits China with tariffs on electric vehicles

A worker wipes an Ora, a Chinese-made electric car, at the Auto Shanghai car fair on 18 April 2023. Chinese automakers are making major inroads into Europe's electric vehicle market. © AP - Ng Han Guan

The European Union has slapped extra provisional duties of up to 38 percent on Chinese electric car imports because of "unfair" state subsidies, despite Beijing's warnings the move would unleash a trade war. But company reps in both China and Europe are critical of the steps.

Brussels launched an investigation last year into Chinese electric vehicle manufacturers to probe whether state subsidies were unfairly undercutting European automakers.