Sales of pre-owned Chinese electric vehicles (EVs) to European Union customers rose 280% year-on-year to 7,900 units during January–September 2026, as tariffs and import restrictions on new vehicles prompted buyers to shift towards used models, according to China EV Marketplace (CEVM), Car News China reported.
The shift follows the European Union’s decision in 2024 to impose countervailing duties of up to 45.3% on battery electric vehicles (BEVs) imported from China. European customers subsequently turned to new plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) and used BEVs, which were not subject to the additional countervailing duties.
However, the introduction of a new annual cap of 350,000 on hybrid vehicle imports from China has further changed buying patterns, with customers increasingly opting for pre-owned vehicles. According to CEVM, used vehicles are not subject to the additional BEV countervailing duties or the new hybrid import cap. New vehicle sales to EU customers declined 44% during the first nine months of 2026.
“Tariffs have already weakened demand for new Chinese BEVs among our European customers. We expect the hybrid import cap to put pressure on new PHEV sales too,” said Jakub Geršl, chief operating officer of China EV Marketplace.
He said pre-owned vehicles were exempt from the additional BEV tariffs and the new PHEV quota, prompting the company to make used vehicles the main focus of its European business.
CEVM currently lists more than 2,600 used EVs on its website, with inventory updated daily. The range includes vehicles from Chinese brands such as Xiaomi, BYD, iCar, Denza, Lynk&Co and Avatr.
The company attributed the comparatively low prices of these vehicles to intense competition in China’s domestic market. Geršl said falling prices of new cars were also putting downward pressure on the pre-owned vehicle market.
The company’s Shanghai-based team searches for vehicles available at substantial discounts. According to Geršl, it regularly identifies cars with around 6,000 kilometres on the odometer priced approximately 40% below their original Chinese list prices.
In China, the China Automobile Dealers Association (CADA) tracks used-car value retention and publishes monthly reports. These assessments show considerable differences between models, with some losing more than 40% of their value over three years while other brands retain their value considerably better.
