🇪🇺 In June, more than one in three plug-in hybrids sold in Europe came from a Chinese brand - Bloomberg ➡ An impressive figure that tells a much deeper story than a simple attempt to bypass European tariffs. 🇨🇳 Chinese automakers captured 34% of European plug-in hybrid sales, around 15% of the fully electric market and 11% of total car sales. A rise no longer limited to a handful of cheap electric models. Nearly one in four hybrids sold in Europe, including both plug-in and conventional models, now comes from a Chinese brand. 1️⃣ One explanation is regulatory as European tariffs currently target fully electric vehicles manufactured in China but not plug-in hybrids. BYD, Chery and Leapmotor therefore have every incentive to accelerate on this segment before tariffs are potentially extended. 2️⃣ By the way, the European Union has not officially announced any additional duties on plug-in hybrids. Besides, the figures include the United Kingdom which is not affected by Brussels’ trade measures and where Chinese brands are nevertheless expanding rapidly. 3️⃣ Finally, Chinese manufacturers continued investing in this technology while several European groups concentrated most of their efforts on fully electric vehicles. Therefore, they are not simply benefiting from favourable regulation but they are also adapting faster to changing consumer preferences. Tariffs may slow China's expansion will not change the fact that Europe’s automotive industry must become competitive again on pricing and innovation. *Bloomberg link: *Note: Hybrids are with and without plugs.