BMW CEO Oliver Zipse has called the EU’s decision to impose additional tariffs on Chinese EVs “the wrong way to go”.
His comments came immediately after the European Commission’s announcement on Wednesday that it will impose extra duties of up to 38.1 percent on imported Chinese electric cars from July, on top of the standard 10 percent car duty.
Zipse said the EU is hurting European companies and European interests. “Protectionist measures, such as the introduction of import duties, do not contribute to successfully compete on international markets,” said Zipse.
Zipse had repeatedly expressed BMW’s opposition since the EU started an anti-subsidy investigation into Chinese EV makers, accusing them of unfair government subsidies.
“In full open markets, the best company will win, so we don’t support that investigation,” he said in an interview with China Daily in April.
He added that the imports of pure electric vehicles into Europe from China are from non-Chinese carmakers, including BMW.
“We are, like always, a fan of free markets, free flow of goods. We should all work on reducing trade barriers, not increasing them, because the majority of tests we have in the world have to be done together.”