Eurostat figures reported Sept. 24 show Chinese-made full hybrids sold in the EU rose from 659 in 2022 to 160,662 in January–July 2026, after Brussels imposed anti-subsidy tariffs on Chinese battery-electric vehicles in 2024, The Guardian (opens in new tab) reported. Chinese-made plug-in hybrids rose from 56,706 in 2022 to 217,764 in the same 2026 period; hybrids sit outside the extra BEV duties and generally face the standard 10% import tariff.
Dataforce figures cited by Automotive World (opens in new tab) say Chinese brands took a record roughly 12% of European new-car registrations in August, including about one in four hybrid sales and one in three plug-in hybrids.
The European Commission has asked China to voluntarily curb hybrid exports toward roughly 15% of the EU market or face possible quotas or tariffs, according to media reports summarized in the Guardian (opens in new tab) and Reuters (opens in new tab) packages; Germany’s VDA said WTO-compliant trade-defense tools should be considered if unfair conduct is proven.
China’s commerce ministry, responding to those reports, said so-called voluntary export limits violate WTO rules and that it firmly opposes them; foreign ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun urged the EU to keep markets open, Reuters (opens in new tab) reported. The Event Log dual-attributes the contested ‘voluntary limit’ ask and marks any future tariff or quota decision developing.