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fliptop [soylentnews.org] writes:

Automakers Tesla and BMW have launched a major lawsuit against the European Commission over tariffs imposed on electric vehicles imported from China [dallasexpress.com]:

Tesla and BMW, both of which produce EVs in China, have taken their grievances to the European Union’s Court of Justice. The legal battle comes after the European Commission’s decision to enact a wide range of tariffs on Chinese-made electric cars, allegedly aimed at curbing competition from Chinese manufacturers.

Tesla’s China-made EVs are subject to a 7.8% tariff from the EU, while BMWs face a much higher levy of 20.7%. Some Chinese-manufactured EVs have been hit with tariffs as high as 45%, The Wall Street Journal reported.

Other major Chinese automakers, including Geely, SAIC, and BYD, have also been vocal about their stance against the tariffs, which they argue have negatively impacted the free market. Furthermore, the new tariffs are stacked on top of the EU’s standard 10% duty on all imported cars, adding to the pressure on certain international carmakers.

In a statement [wsj.com] to the WSJ, a BMW spokesperson focused on how the duties were not improving the competition between carmakers but were, instead, harming the business models of many international companies in the market.

[...] The outcome of the lawsuits filed by Tesla and BMW could set a major precedent that could shape the EU’s ability to impose tariffs on a wider variety of Chinese or foreign products.

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