Geely-owned Volvo shifting EV production to Belgium from China, report says
- The carmaker will start making the EX30 and EX90 models in Belgium and may also shift the production of other models bound for the UK, the Times reported
Volvo Car has started to shift manufacturing of Chinese-made electric vehicles (EV) to Belgium as the European Union prepares to impose tariffs on China-made EVs, the Times reported.
On top of transferring production of Volvo’s EX30 and EX90 models to Belgium, the carmaker may also move assembly of some Volvo models bound for the UK, the report said, citing unidentified people. Volvo, which is owned by Zhejiang Geely Holding Group, is seen as the most exposed among Western carmakers to the potential tariffs, the Times said.
Trade frictions between the EU and China have led to a barrage of anti-dumping investigations against Beijing amid allegations of unfair subsidies. The EU is expected to tell EV makers in China as early as this week on whether it will impose provisional tariffs from July 4 that would boost import duties above the current level of 10 per cent.
Volvo Car denied the Times’ report, saying “it’s premature to speculate on the implications of what this investigation will conclude, or any potential measures”.
“The decision to also build the EX30 in Ghent reflects our ambition to build our cars where we sell them as much as possible,” a spokesperson said in an emailed statement. The additional capacity in Belgium had been previously disclosed, according to the company.
