Chinese electric car sales have reached a record high across Europe, driven by strong demand and low tariffs in the UK, alongside a surge in buyers in Italy. In the first five months of this year, Chinese brands captured 14.2% of the battery electric vehicle (BEV) market across Western Europe, according to Schmidt Automotive Research. This represents 171,800 sales, an increase of nearly five percentage points compared to the same period in 2025.
The UK is the largest European market for Chinese electric cars, accounting for a quarter of Chinese BEV sales across the 18 biggest Western European markets. This is attributed to the UK government's decision not to impose additional levies, unlike the EU, which has tariffs of up to 35.3% on some Chinese electric car manufacturers.
Brands such as BYD, Chery, SAIC, and Xpeng are targeting Europe for exports. This trend is putting pressure on traditional European manufacturers, who are also facing stricter emissions rules requiring them to increase their own BEV sales. However, Matthias Schmidt, founder of Schmidt research, suggested that China's share of the pure electric vehicle market may have peaked, as manufacturers shift focus to plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), which are not currently subject to EU tariffs.
Separately, Tesla sales in Europe rebounded by 60% year-on-year, with increased demand for cheaper versions of its Model 3 and Model Y. The Model Y was the bestselling individual model across Europe during this period.