BYD and other manufacturers are importing cars from China and scouting factory sites in Mexico as part of a global expansion that, for now, excludes the United States.
Faltering U.S. industrial leadership has allowed China to take a harder trade stance as President-elect Donald Trump prepares to take office.
China’s electric vehicle market is the world’s largest — and also its most cutthroat, with dozens of brands jostling for position.
Weeks after Europe imposed additional tariffs on electric vehicles made in China, the country’s car companies were defiant at France’s leading auto event.
BYD, which leads China’s electric vehicle sector, is constructing a plant in Hungary while its Chinese rivals expand through joint ventures in Europe.
With Trump once again in the Oval Office, America would be at risk of falling even further behind China in industrial competitiveness.
The European Commission will charge the U.S. automaker an additional duty of 9 percent, much lower than tariffs levied on its Chinese peers for electric vehicles imported to Europe.
China’s electric vehicle companies are making inroads in Thailand, a key industry hub, as Europe and the United States wield tariffs to keep them out.
After dominating sales in Thailand for decades, Mazda, Nissan and other Japanese companies are losing their grip on a market long viewed as a regional hub.
The tariffs have been expected for months, but many European automakers warned they will drive up prices for consumers and set off a trade war with China.