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Germany wants the EU to set tariffs on electric vehicles at a low level to avoid severe retaliation from Beijing.
Germany has launched an 11th-hour bid to avert a full-scale trade war between Europe and China, resisting French calls to hit Chinese electric vehicles with punitive duties.
With a decision by the European Commission imminent, both Paris and Berlin have ramped up their lobbying efforts — with conflicting messages on just how tough Ursula von der Leyen’s executive should get on Beijing.
The EU executive is expected to inform Chinese EV-makers on Wednesday of temporary duties resulting from its probe into unfair state subsidies. EU member countries would then vote this fall to confirm the duties — making it vital for von der Leyen to pitch them at a level that the bloc’s two heavyweights can live with.
The Germans have been dragging their feet on electrification and now they’re in a panic. On the other hand, they can’t afford a trade war with China because China is their largest export market and in many cases even bigger than the domestic one.
Not true, VW, Audi, BMW and Mercedes all have excellent electric cars, that are even better than Tesla now. If they aren’t good enough, maybe you need a Porsche.
They are also way better than Chinese cars in general especially BYD. It’s only when compared on price to subsidized Chinese cars they have difficulty competing.
The country that’s behind on Electric is Japan, yet Toyota remains the #1 car manufacturer in the world.
Generally everybody loses in a trade war. But if China subsidizes EV production, that needs to stop if they want to be part of an open market.