PARIS, May 3 (Reuters) - Sales of the three most popular

Chinese-made electric vehicles in France have collapsed since

the government made them ineligible for cash purchased

incentives, industry data analysed by Reuters shows.

A surge in imports of Chinese electric cars into Europe has

triggered EU tariff threats, which are expected to be a bone of

contention when President Emmanuel Macron hosts his Chinese

counterpart for a state visit on Monday.

France, however, did not wait for a European Union decision

on implementing tariffs, instead redesigning its cash bonus

scheme in December to exclude the purchase of models made in

China, which have rapidly gained market share.

In the months ahead of the move, the three most popular

Chinese-made cars sold in France - the Dacia Spring (Renault

), Tesla's Model 3 and SAIC's MG4

- accounted for 22% of the market, according to Reuters

calculations using data from the companies and industry body AAA

Data.

Their share then surged to 32% in December ahead of the new

eligibility rules that require vehicles to meet criteria

covering how much carbon is emitted during the manufacturing

process and transport to market, favouring vehicles made in

Europe.

The three models' share of the market has since steadily

declined to just 4% in April, a drop hailed by Finance Minister

Bruno Le Maire as a sign the more restrictive eligibility rules

are working.

The French government has been eager to give domestic

carmakers time to come out with their own EV models and catch up

with Chinese makers that moved early to build up huge production

capacity.