22% of the electric cars we buy in Europe are made in China. It’s just the tip of the iceberg

Chinese EV makers kept expanding in Europe despite EU tariffs, with their share of electric car imports rising to 22% from January to April 2026.

That was up from 19% a year earlier, suggesting the trade barriers have had only a limited effect on demand and shipments.

BYD has become one of Europe’s top sellers, while Chinese plug-in hybrids also posted strong growth.

The tariffs are also hitting non-Chinese models such as the Cupra Tavascan and Tesla Model 3, showing spillover effects beyond China.