Despite trade barriers imposed by the EU last year, Chinese electric vehicle (EV) makers — led by BYD — have continued expanding in the European market. Their secret: offering affordable, long-range all-electric models and plug-in hybrids, which aren't priced as cheaply as in China but are priced several thousand euros cheaper than comparable models, stoking competition among the wider field of automakers vying for customers in the bloc. Both types of EVs from China have now accounted for 7.5% of Europe’s EV market in the past few months, up from 5% in 2023, according to research firm Rho Motion. In April, registrations of battery electric vehicles from Chinese automakers surged 59% year on year across 28 European countries, while sales of Chinese plug-in hybrid EVs (PHEVs) soared by 546%, according to Jato Dynamics, another research firm.