When the EU decided to put tariffs on electric cars manufactured in China two years ago, CleanTechnica contributor José Pontes pointed out that they only applied to battery electric cars. He predicted the policy would spur Chinese manufacturers to prioritize plug-in hybrids. His powers of prognostication have proven eerily prescient, as that is exactly what has happened.

According to Bloomberg, the latest report from Germany’s Dataforce shows that Chinese automakers set new records last month for sales in Europe, thanks in large part to sales of those plug-in hybrid models that do not pay a substantial import tariff. In all, Chinese brands accounted for 12 percent of all new car sales in August.

That’s pretty significant, but digging into the data makes the situation even worse for EU domestic manufacturers.

As gasoline and diesel prices spiral ever higher in Europe, new car customers are looking to lower their transportation costs as much as possible. Demand for battery and hybrid cars rose 27 percent in August, driving an increase in total sales of 4.6 percent. Without all those new plug-in hybrids and battery electric cars, the European new car market in August would have seen a significant decline in total sales.

If José Pontes saw this coming, why did the European Commission not see it as well? That is a question with no easy answer. Germany’s Handelsblatt is reporting that the Commission is in the process of preparing a package of economic security measures that may include new tariffs on hybrids and plug-in hybrids later this year.

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