October 6, 2026, LONDON, UK — The rapid arrival of Chinese brands in the UK market has put the British government under pressure to raise their tax, marking an unexpected turn in Britain’s electric car revolution.
The UK administration is considering imposing increased tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles, which would mean approaching the European Union standards regarding trade, but no UK tariff has been introduced yet, as ministers are consulting the automobile industry on the issue. According to The Times, The Times reported the issue on October 5, 2026.
The timing of such events could not have been better. On October 2, 2026, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders announced that Britain registered 350,518 cars in September, the best result for September since 2017. And the number of registrations of electric cars rose by 36.3% yearly to 99,199, giving electric cars 28.3% of the monthly market share.
Chinese companies are establishing a stronger presence in the expanding UK car market. The Jaecoo 7, created by Chery, became the most popular car in the UK, with 10,813 units registered in September, and BYD enjoyed a share of 5.75% in the month. Jaecoo’s registrations for the first nine months of 2026 increased by 223% compared with the first nine months of 2025, while Leapmotor achieved an incredible 765% growth.
However, the situation becomes particularly intense when comparing these figures to those in Europe.
The EU’s final anti-subsidy measures, implemented on 29 October, 2024, have introduced extra duties which differ from 7.8% to 35.3% for different producers. On top of the usual 10% import duty, it means that total rates can reach almost 45.3%. BYD is going to pay an extra duty of 17%; the one imposed on SAIC is 35.3%.
The problem of Great Britain is one that is beyond China. The new Industrial Accelerator Act proposed by Brussels aims to strengthen the industrial capability of Europe and kickstart demand for the region’s low-carbon products, which are manufactured in Europe.
