CUPRA Tavascan EV Exempted from EU Tariffs on Chinese EVs - CleanTechnica

The European Union has granted an exemption from its tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles (EVs) for the CUPRA Tavascan, a model produced in China but branded by the European Volkswagen Group. This exemption is notable because the EU generally imposes tariffs on Chinese EV imports to protect its domestic automotive industry. Volkswagen Group successfully argued that the Tavascan’s pricing strategy would not harm European manufacturers, leading to the exemption under strict conditions. These include a minimum pricing threshold (undisclosed), a cap on the number of units sold within the EU, and a restriction preventing Volkswagen Anhui from exporting other EV or plug-in hybrid models from China to the EU under the same exemption. The CUPRA Tavascan is positioned as a niche, low-volume model rather than a mass-market vehicle, with global sales totaling 1,685 units since launch and 1,407 sold in 2025 alone. The exemption helps avoid tariff-related price increases that could have negatively impacted sales and jobs within the brand