Visitors view an Xpeng electric vehicle at Expo Georgia in Tbilisi, Georgia, June 13, 2026. This year's expo was held here from Saturday to Sunday. Chinese automakers including BYD, XPeng, AVATR and JAC Motors have made appearances with their products at the expo. (Photo: Xinhua) China-made electric vehicles (EVs) accounted for 14.2 percent of European market sales in the first five months of 2026 despite the EU's steep tariffs. The growth showed that trade‑protectionist barriers can only serve as short‑lived obstacles, as consumers' purchasing choice ultimately hinges on product competitiveness and China's EV strengths will support the automakers' long‑term growth, Chinese experts said. The market share of electric cars sold by Chinese companies rose to 14.2 percent in European market in the first five months of this year, according to Schmidt Automotive Research. The 171,800 EVs sold there represented an increase in market share of five percentage points from one year earlier, the Guardian reported on Sunday. The increase in European sales comes despite EU tariffs of up to 35.3 percent for EVs made by some Chinese manufacturers, on top of the standard 10-percent import duty. The UK is the largest European market for Chinese cars because London has declined to follow the EU's lead in imposing more levies. The UK accounted for a quarter of Chinese EV sales in Europe, according to the report. Cui Dongshu, secretary-general of the China Passenger Car Association, told the Global Times on Monday that the surge showed trade protectionist policies have failed to contain Chinese automakers' overseas expansion. Chinese EVs enjoy "a generational edge" over Europe's legacy carmakers. Their overall product strength remains the primary reason behind their popularity among European buyers, Cui said. Meanwhile, fluctuating global oil prices have pushed up driving costs throughout Europe, fueling demand for affordable electric vehicles, a need well‑met by the affordable Chinese‑made models. Meanwhile, the gradual return of European electric‑vehicle purchase subsidies has lowered purchase barriers and lifted total EV sales, which has in turn worked to the advantage of Chinese exporters, Cui Dongshu said. Chinese brands expanded their market share in Europe in the first half of 2026 driven by local subsidies and higher oil prices, Fitch Ratings said in a report sent to the Global Times. The combined market share of leading Chinese brands in the EU, European Free Trade Association and UK rose to 11 percent in the first half of this year, up from 7 percent in the first half of 2025. The largest Chinese players, Geely Group (including Volvo Car) and SAIC Motor, expanded steadily despite the tariffs. The main drivers of market share gains were BYD, Chery and Leap Motor, according to Fitch Ratings. Cui Dongshu noted that China's EV edge comes from its full‑fledged industrial ecosystem. Officials from China's Ministry of Commerce told a press conference on July 28 that China boasts a complete, high‑efficiency EV industrial chain covering raw materials, auto parts, finished cars and production equipment, with industry clusters enabling rapid component supplies. China's huge market, the world's largest, has fueled 11 consecutive years of EV sales. "Protectionism can only put up short‑term entry barriers. It cannot erase the solid strengths of Chinese EVs or stop Chinese brands from establishing a lasting foothold in Europe," Cui Dongshu said. Yet, geopolitical risks remain as the EU reportedly considers expanding tariffs to restrict Chinese plug-in hybrid EVs. German media Handelsblatt reported on June 19 that the EU is drawing up new measures to shield its single market more tightly against Chinese imports in the near future, citing senior EU officials and industry insiders. Specifically, the plan could contain countervailing duties to be levied on Chinese‑made plug‑in hybrids. The rising market share of Chinese‑brand EVs amid EU tariffs has demonstrated that trade barriers cannot distort market choices. If the EU carries out its planned countervailing duties on Chinese plug‑in hybrids, the measure will yield only limited results, Cui Hongjian, a professor at the Academy of Regional and Global Governance at Beijing Foreign Studies University, told the Global Times on Monday. Europe's problems stem from weak competitiveness and flawed energy policies. The EU ought to cast aside its confrontational mindset, remove unfair restrictions and pursue consultations and cooperation with China. Shifting industrial‑sector conflicts outward cannot remedy the weaknesses of its EV sector and will only damage the EU's reputation for destroying free trade, Cui Hongjian said. 。部分商品还启动了“买贵双倍赔”服务,让大家购物更安心。从14日、15日等节点开始,还会开启猜大小、猜拳等趣味互动活动,获胜就能解锁额外红包,增添购物乐趣。预售活动也同步开启,13日14:00:00至19:59:59为预售预热,20:00:00开始可支付定金,截止到16日17:59:59 ;16日20:00:00开启预售尾款支付,一直持续到26日23:59:59。此外,15日00:00:00至16日19:59:59是618抢先购预热,16日20:00:00至26日23:59:59进入618抢先购售卖期。 2.正式期(5月31日 - 6月20日) - 开门红(5月31日 - 6月3日):5月31日晚8点现货开抢,百亿补贴同步开启,众多热门商品会迎来一波价格新低,是入手热门好物的好时机。 - 专场期(6月4日 - 6月15日):每日聚焦不同品类,如家电日、美妆日等。在这些专属品类日里,消费者能领取专属品类券,购买对应品类商品更加划算。 - 高潮期(6月16日 - 6月18日):活动迎来高潮,全品类跨店满减每满299减50,还有整点秒杀等超值活动,此时优惠力度最大,适合集中下单。- 返场期(6月19日 - 6月20日):活动接近尾声,但剩余商品依旧延续折扣,适合那些错过前面优惠时段的消费者捡漏。 淘宝 618 活动安排 今年不管是淘宝天猫还是京东,都提前了618活动,从5月13日就开始了。