Sales of Chinese hybrids in the EU have soared hundreds of times – Brussels speaks of quotas

Sales of Chinese full hybrid cars in the European Union have grown more than 240 times over the past four years. Amid this surge, Brussels has asked China to voluntarily reduce exports of hybrids and is considering the introduction of protective measures, in particular quotas.

The Guardian reports this, citing data from Eurostat and the European Automobile Manufacturers' Association ACEA.

In 2022, only 659 full hybrids made in China were sold in the EU. In January-July 2026, their number already reached 160,662 cars.

The segment of Chinese plug-in hybrids – cars whose battery can be charged from an external source – is also growing rapidly. Their sales increased from 56,706 vehicles in 2022 to 217,764 in just the first seven months of this year.

The surge became especially noticeable after the EU introduced additional countervailing duties on electric vehicles from China in 2024. These measures apply specifically to fully electric models and do not extend to conventional and plug-in hybrids.

The current additional duties on Chinese electric vehicles range from 7.8% to 35.3% depending on the manufacturer. For example, the rate is 17% for BYD, 18.8% for Geely, and 35.3% for SAIC. These are paid in addition to the EU's standard import duty of 10%.

Against this backdrop, Chinese manufacturers are actively promoting hybrid models in Europe. According to The Guardian, the EU has already approached Beijing with a proposal to voluntarily limit their exports. If no agreement is reached, Brussels may apply protective trade measures, among which quotas are being considered.

Overall, hybrid cars have already become the most popular powertrain type in the EU market. According to ACEA, in January-August they accounted for 36.6% of all new car registrations. The share of electric vehicles was 21.7%, and plug-in hybrids 10%.

Among Chinese companies, BYD, Chery, and Leapmotor are growing particularly fast. BYD sales in the EU increased by 163% year-on-year to about 177,000 cars in the first eight months of the year. Geely remains the largest Chinese manufacturer in terms of sales volume in the EU – about 205,000 vehicles.

Based on materials from: The Guardian, ACEA, European Commission