Britain’s automotive industry has found itself facing a “difficult choice” between the Chinese and EU markets

The UK automotive industry has faced a "difficult compromise" between China and the EU. London is not imposing tariffs on Chinese cars, which could affect trade with the European Union. The Guardian reports, as cited by UNN.

Details

According to available information, the UK has still not imposed import tariffs on cheap Chinese cars, while the US has almost completely restricted their imports, and the EU has introduced tariffs of up to 45%. 

The EU warned Andy Burnham that the UK must impose tariffs on cheap Chinese cars, otherwise Brussels would introduce protectionist "made in Europe" barriers on British exports to the bloc, which would hurt British car manufacturers in their largest market. Ministers continue to resist such calls, while Jonathan Reynolds, the Business Secretary, claims that any tariffs "would likely be reciprocal" – resulting in lower sales by British manufacturers in China 

At the same time, according to the publication, during the first eight months of 2026, Chinese automakers BYD, Omoda and Jaecoo more than tripled their share of the UK new-car market, reaching  12% of sales.

Data published on Friday showed that new-car registrations in the UK rose by 12% year-on-year through September, marking the best month for annual growth since 2017. Preliminary data from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) showed that the boom was driven by demand for electric vehicles and Chinese brands, with the Jaecoo 7 and BYD's Sealion 7 among the best-selling models 

Reminder

In January–August, Ukrainians purchased 22.2 thousand electric vehicles, 18.5 thousand of them used. BYD and ZEEKR are the leaders among new vehicles.