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Chinese brands including BYD, Leapmotor unveiling new

models

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European automakers out in force to defend home turf

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EU planning tariffs on Chinese-made EVs amid weak market

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BYD warns tariffs will lead to higher prices, deter buyers

By Nick Carey

PARIS, Oct 14 (Reuters) - Chinese and European

automakers went head-to-head at the Paris car show on Monday,

with tensions running high as the EU gears up to impose hefty

import tariffs on Chinese-made electric vehicles and the

industry struggles with weak demand.

This year's event - the largest car show in Europe - comes

at a pivotal time. Struggling European automakers need to prove

they are still in the game, while Chinese rivals are aiming to

get a foothold in a competitive market.

There was some common ground, though, with executives from

both regions warning about the dangers of EU tariffs.

"Who pays the bill? Consumers. So this makes people very

concerned. It will stop poorer people from buying," Stella Li,

executive vice president of Chinese EV giant BYD,

told Reuters.

Stellantis ( STLA ) CEO Carlos Tavares, meanwhile, warned

the tariffs would lead Chinese automakers to set up plants in

Europe, adding to overcapacity in the region and leading some

local manufacturers to close factories.

Nine Chinese brands including BYD and Leapmotor are

unveiling their latest models at this year's event, according to

Paris auto show CEO Serge Gachot. That is the same as in 2022

when they made up almost half the brands present.

This year, they account for only about a fifth of the brands

thanks to a much stronger showing from Europe's auto industry -

a sign of its determination to defend its home turf.

Earlier this month, EU member states narrowly backed import

duties on Chinese-made EVs of up to 45%, meant to counter what

the Brussels says are unfair subsidies from Beijing to Chinese

manufacturers. Beijing denies unfair competition and has

threatened counter-measures.

While Chinese automakers have criticised the EU's move, they

are pressing ahead with European expansion plans and so far none

has said it will raise prices to cover the duties.

China's GAC told Reuters on Sunday that the show

marked the launch of its European ambitions, while compatriot

Leapmotor said on Monday it aimed to have 500 points

of sale in Europe by the end of 2025.

Chinese EV makers like BYD have so far priced their vehicles

slightly below European rivals, giving them an advantage. That

will also help offset lower margins at home. Like Japanese and

South Korean automakers before them, they are also touting

better equipment and offering more features as standard.

Yet even BYD, which already sells EVs across much of Europe

and sponsored the European soccer championships this summer,

still has relatively low brand recognition, so hopes to make a

splash with the electric Sea Lion 07 SUV it is launching.

Newer Chinese entrants like Dongfeng, Seres

and FAW are also showing off new models

as they seek overseas EV sales to offset a weak home market and

a vicious price war there.

The pressure is on to try to keep prices down in Europe too,

as EV makers try to close the gap with cheaper gasoline cars.

"My personal view is we will achieve price parity in Europe

in 2-3 years. Everybody, if you want to compete, you need to

work hard towards that goal," said Leapmotor International CEO

Tianshu Xin.

China's passenger vehicle sales rose 4.3% in September from

a year ago, snapping five months of decline with a boost from a

government subsidy to encourage trade-ins as part of a broader

stimulus package. Europe's sales hit a three-year low in August.

In another blow for the EV market, the French government

said on Thursday it would reduce its support for EV buyers,

joining Germany which ended its subsidy scheme late last year.

'ALARM BELLS'

Chinese automakers also need to do well in Europe because

they have been shut out of the U.S. market.

Europe's automakers, meanwhile, have hit a rough patch, with

Volkswagen, Mercedes-Benz and BMW

all issuing profit warnings largely because of the

weak Chinese market. Stellantis ( STLA ) slashed its earnings forecast

because of inventory problems at its U.S. business.

Stellantis' ( STLA ) Tavares on Monday declined to rule out job cuts

or offloading brands.

"We will need to make big efforts", he said, adding it was

up to customers to decide which brands had a future.

Volkswagen is also locked in a battle with powerful unions

over cost cuts that could see it close German factories for the

first time and cut thousands of jobs.

The Europeans are struggling to compete with Chinese rivals'

lower costs and their ability to develop new EVs in just two

years, at least twice as fast as traditional Western automakers.

"The Europeans have massive alarm bells ringing," said Phil

Dunne, a managing director at strategy consultancy Stax. "They

have recognised they need to do something pretty radical and

they only have a couple of years to do it."