According to Caixin, despite uncertainties such as high tariffs in some markets including the EU, Chinese new energy car companies are actively responding to the challenges and still enjoying success in foreign markets thanks to their first-mover advantage in intelligent electric vehicles.

On July 22nd, SAIC Motor Group announced that on July 19th, at the request of SAIC Motor Group, the European Commission held a special hearing on anti-subsidy investigations at the EU headquarters in Brussels. SAIC submitted its preliminary anti-subsidy defense to the European Commission to actively safeguard its legitimate rights and interests. It is expected that the European Commission will make the final ruling on November 2nd. SAIC Motor Group will reserve the right to take further legal measures against the European Commission's unfair, unreasonable, and illegal preliminary ruling.

During the anti-subsidy investigation special hearing held by the European Union at the request of SAIC, SAIC clearly stated that the European Commission's anti-subsidy investigation involves commercial sensitive information. For example, the survey requires cooperation to provide chemical formulas related to batteries, which is beyond the normal scope of the investigation; the European Commission's determination of subsidies is incorrect, for example, confusing foreign joint venture companies' sole proprietorship of automobile financial companies with SAIC's affiliated enterprises, which are included in the scope of subsidy rate calculation; during the investigation, SAIC had submitted thousands of written materials, but the European Commission ignored some of the key information and defense opinions submitted by SAIC and overstated the subsidy rate for multiple projects. The SAIC representative stated that open competition can bring progress, and protectionism will only lead to backwardness. It is hoped that China and Europe can cooperate to win-win and accelerate the cohesion of innovative forces to create global green development.

On June 12th, the European Commission released information on preliminary rulings, that three Chinese car companies sampled, including SAIC, Geely, and BYD, will be levied temporary tariffs of 38.1%, 20%, and 17.4%, respectively, as they face uncertain factors such as high tariffs in some markets including the EU. On July 4th, the European Commission officially announced the preliminary ruling results, and the final tax rate was slightly reduced from the temporary tariff at the time of the preliminary ruling. Among the three sampled companies, BYD's tax rate remained unchanged, and Geely and SAIC's tax rates were reduced to 19.9% and 37.6%, respectively. The tariffs for other Chinese electric vehicle manufacturers involved in the investigation but not sampled, and those who did not cooperate with the investigation also slightly adjusted.

"The EU's tariff policy will have a relatively large impact not only on Jike, but also on other Chinese car brands entering the European market," said An Conghui, the president of Geely Holding Group and CEO of Jike Intelligent Technology, at the launch of the new Jike 009. Chinese car companies need to win competitiveness in technology and quality in the European market. An Conghui also revealed that Jike is actively promoting the localization production plan in Europe and will release it at the right time.

On July 21st, the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers announced an analysis of the Chinese automobile export market from January to June 2024, showing that from 2017 to 2023, China's vehicle exports showed a gradual recovery trend, mainly due to the contribution of the European market. The latest data shows that in June of this year, China exported 133,000 new energy vehicles, a year-on-year increase of 7%; from January to June, China exported 1 million new energy vehicles, a year-on-year increase of 25%. Among them, from January to June, exports of new energy passenger vehicles reached 980,000 units, a year-on-year increase of 27%, and new energy passenger vehicles accounted for 98% of the total exports of new energy vehicles.

"Although the pure electric exports to Oceania and Europe have slowed down significantly, decreasing by 19% and 16% respectively compared to the same period last year, the pure electric exports to other regions are still very strong," said Cui Dongshu, secretary-general of the China Passenger Car Association.

Whilst facing the high EU tariffs, China's new energy vehicle companies continue to expand their export market. On July 21st, Jike announced the global launch of its newest Jike 009, and the company's two other popular models, Jike 001 and Jike X, will be officially launched in Mexico. The Jike brand is accelerating its global layout and plans to enter 50 countries and regions around the world by the end of this year. On July 17th, Liuzhou Wuling Motors Group announced its first Brazilian factory, which is expected to begin operations in August. The factory is expected to produce 22,000 vehicles per year, with an export volume of 1,000 fully-electric vehicles per month starting from the second half of next year. Kandi Technologies Group has signed a strategic cooperation agreement with a Nepalese company to promote electric vehicles, and the first batch of 100 Kandi electric cars will arrive in Nepal in August 2021.

On July 21st, the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers announced that from January to June 2024, the export of Chinese cars is showing a gradual recovery trend, with main contributions from the European market. Meanwhile, NIO, which started deliveries of its ET7 sedan in January, will consider making electric vehicles in Europe once sales have picked up sufficiently. On July 17th, Nezha Motors announced the opening of its first dealership in Azerbaijan's capital, Baku, in partnership with local conglomerate Group Motors. Nezha plans to import three models to Brazil and enter the market by the third quarter of this year, and the company will launch products in Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan soon.

On the same day that Nezha Auto announced its entry into the West Asian market, GAC Aion's intelligent factory in Thailand's Loyang Province was officially completed and put into operation, achieving the two-pronged approach of exporting complete vehicles and local production. As GAC Aion's first overseas factory, the Thailand intelligent factory has an annual production capacity of 0.05 million vehicles for the first phase, and will gradually expand to 0.1 million vehicles per year in the future, realizing the co-production of multiple GAC Aion models such as the second generation AION V, AION Y Plus, and Haobo HT.

"In addition to Thailand, the company also plans to enter markets such as Qatar and Mexico in the second half of the year. At the same time, models such as Haobo HT and Haobo SSR will also be introduced into overseas markets," said Gu Huinan, general manager of GAC Aion. In the next 1-2 years, GAC Aion plans to establish seven production and sales bases in Europe, South America, Africa, the Middle East, East Asia and other countries, gradually realizing global "research and development, production and sales integration."

Cui Dongshu analyzed that China's export of pure electric vehicles to Oceania and Europe slowed down significantly in June, but pure electric vehicles in other regions remained strong. The "red sea crisis" has basically no impact on China's exports. "China's exports of new energy vehicles to Europe slowed down temporarily in June. With the gradual adaptation to the impact of anti-subsidy in Europe, China's exports to Europe should be able to rebound and increase," said Cui Dongshu.