Recently, we learned from foreign media that regarding the European Union’s launch of a countervailing investigation into Chinese electric vehicles, Group Renault CEO Luca de Meo expressed his opinion, saying that “the door is completely closed to China would be the worst possible response.”
The European auto industry is grappling with slowing sales of electric vehicles in Europe. Carmakers have invested heavily in producing electric vehicles, but they are expensive for European consumers. Competition from cheaper Chinese electric cars is also a concern. The EU has launched a countervailing investigation into Chinese cars and is considering raising import tariffs.
De Meo declined to comment on the tariffs, sources said. Europe must protect its market during the transition to electric vehicles while finding a place for Chinese rivals. One of the reasons is that Europe’s automakers can Learn from China, which is leading the industry. “If we want to accelerate the adoption of electric cars in Europe, we need to work with the Chinese and find ways to deal with them,” de Meo said.
De Meo said that these methods may encourage Chinese automakers in Europe to cooperate with European suppliers, or encourage Chinese suppliers to set up branches in Europe, similar to China’s policies towards overseas automakers. De Meo said that “closing the door completely on (China) would be the worst response.” De Meo also called on the EU to fund electric vehicle subsidies and raw materials, as well as infrastructure plans to counter fierce competition from China. In addition, Mercedes-Benz CEO Källenius previously stated that he believes tariffs should be cut and that increased competition will help the European auto industry produce better cars.
