*

Figures were distorted by timing of Chinese New Year

*

EU sales spurred by emissions standards

*

EU tariffs hit sales at MG, other China-made brands

By Alessandro Parodi

March 12 (Reuters) - China in February again led

purchases of electric vehicles, which increased worldwide versus

a year ago, even as European Union tariffs on China-made EVs

reduced sales of some brands, research firm Rho Motion said on

Wednesday.

Overall sales, including battery electric and plug-in hybrid

vehicles, rose by 49% in February year-on-year to 1.2 million,

but the researchers said the figure was distorted by the timing

of Chinese New Year.

Compared with January, figures were down 3%.

The EU imposed tariffs on China-made cars at the end of

October after an anti-subsidy investigation.

Rho Motion Data Manager Charles Lester said sales of MG,

which is owned by China's SAIC and was hit by some

of the biggest tariffs, had fallen sharply.

SAIC's sales growth of cars made in China was on average 19%

lower in the months between November 2024 and January 2025 in

Europe and European Economic Area, compared to the January to

October 2024 period, Lester said.

Sales of Honda ( HMC ), which produces some

battery-electric (BEV) models of the Dongfeng Honda brand in

China, Mercedes, Geely, Tesla, Renault's

Dacia Spring and smaller Chinese brands Nio

and Xpeng ( XPEV ), were also impacted by the tariffs, Lester

said.

BYD, however, is gaining ground in Europe and

increasing its market-share worldwide despite the tariffs, he

said.

Because of the timing of Chinese New Year holidays this

year, China recorded a yearly increase of 76% in February, and

of 35% for the first two months of the year.

Sales in Europe were up 19% in the month compared with a

year earlier - the second consecutive month of double-digit

growth since EU CO2 emission targets came into effect - with

Germany up 40% in the first two months of 2025.

North America's EV sales grew by 17% in the month from a

year before, but U.S. President Donald Trump's stance towards

electrification will lead to reduced yearly forecasts for the

country, Lester said.

Mexico's EV market more than doubled due to Chinese EV

imports that started "in bulk" last year, Rho Motion said in a

statement.