Importing a car from China to Germany / EU: full landed-cost guide 2026
Duties, VAT, who can import, what gets in, shipping — and the DDP price of 19 popular Chinese models in Germany / EU, computed by our rules engine with sources and verification dates.
Who can import and what gets in
- • Who can import: Individuals and companies can import; companies need an EORI number
- • No EU COC → individual vehicle approval
- • Glass light transmission ≥70%, EU-spec headlights
- • Businesses need an EORI number to import
Tax rules and sources
- EU duty 10% + VAT 19% (on price + freight/insurance + duty) ↗ verified 2026-09-02
- Countervailing duty on Chinese BEVs 7.8–35.3% (by maker; new cars only: <6 months or <6,000 km) ↗ verified 2026-09-02
- A price undertaking (minimum import price + annual quota) can replace the countervailing duty, but only for producers whose offer the Commission has accepted; no accepted case was public at the verification date, so the duty remains the default ↗ official 2026-09-05
- China-spec cars without COC need §21 StVZO individual approval (TÜV) ↗ verified 2026-09-02
EU duty 10% + VAT 19%, no registration tax; Chinese-spec cars need TÜV single-vehicle approval; new Chinese-built BEVs get the maker's countervailing duty automatically (BYD 17 / Geely 18.8 / SAIC 35.3 / Tesla 7.8 / others 20.7), used (>6 months and >6,000 km) exempt.
Popular models: DDP price in Germany / EU
| Model | Ex-works | DDP |
|---|---|---|
| BYD Seal 05 DM-i | $10,500 | $19,371 |
| BYD Song Plus DM-i | $14,500 | $24,633 |
| BYD Atto 3 (Yuan Plus) | $14,800 | $28,595 |
| BYD Seal EV | $21,000 | $38,012 |
| BYD Atto 2 (Yuan Up) | $11,500 | $23,583 |
| BYD Dolphin | $11,000 | $22,824 |
| BYD Sealion 7 | $22,500 | $40,290 |
| BYD Han EV | $22,000 | $39,531 |
| BYD Seal U (Sealion 6) | $17,500 | $32,696 |
| BYD Tang EV | $30,000 | $51,682 |
| Geely Coolray | $10,500 | $19,371 |
| Geely Xingyue L (Monjaro) | $17,000 | $27,922 |
| Zeekr 001 | $33,000 | $57,008 |
| Chery Tiggo 8 Pro | $15,000 | $25,291 |
| Changan CS75 Plus | $13,000 | $22,660 |
| GWM Haval H6 | $13,500 | $23,318 |
| XPeng G6 | $24,000 | $43,752 |
| MG4 EV | $18,000 | $37,996 |
| Tesla Model Y (Shanghai-built) | $30,000 | $48,079 |
Other countries
UAERussiaPortugal / EUKazakhstanKyrgyzstanSaudi ArabiaNigeriaKenyaGhanaMexicoPoland / EUUnited KingdomGeorgiaEthiopiaCôte d'IvoireSenegalTanzania · Dar es Salaam
Indicative only: rates, freight and rules change. Every rule shows its source; verify before you commit.