Now Europeans Can Order A Chinese EV Online

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Who would like to purchase a brand new Chinese EV or PHEV online and have it delivered to their door? OK, anyone who lives in the US, put your hands down. Your government has decided you can’t have one. But for those who live in Europe, the service from China EV Marketplace may be just what the doctor ordered.

Not only does China EV Marketplace make it possible for European customers to purchase road legal electric cars and plug-in hybrids directly from China and have them delivered to their homes, the price can include clearing the cars through customs. Now it’s true that people can go to the port themselves to pick up their cars and deal with customs paperwork, but that extra bit of convenience is surely worth the modest amount the company charges for those services.

China EV Marketplace claims to be the largest online shop for Chinese electric vehicles and serves customers worldwide. In the first half of the year, the company sold 7,000 vehicles, which was an increase of 66% compared to the first six months of 2024. However, according to CarNewsChina, this growth is mainly due to plug-in hybrids, as these are not subject to special tariffs when exported to the EU. The minimum order quantity at EV Marketplace is one vehicle, so it is open not only to commercial clients but to private customers as well.

“For the first time, EV enthusiasts across Europe can order a new Chinese BEV or PHEV directly from China and have it delivered directly to their door,” explained Jakub Gersl, COO of China EV Marketplace. “Our new service removes the traditional complexities and headaches associated with international car imports.”

Bringing The Chinese EV To Europe

Not only does the service apply to Chinese brands that already have an active presence in Europe, such as BYD, Xpeng, Nio, and Leapmotor, it also can import cars from companies that do not yet sell their products to the Continent. Xiaomi models in particular may appeal to Europeans, given their high performance and lower cost when compared to similar models from Tesla.

In fact, China EV Marketplace will be only too happy to deliver a Tesla Model Y manufactured in Shanghai to a customer in Europe. Why would someone in Europe want to do that when the same model is being manufactured locally in Germany? The newly introduced 6 passenger Model Y L may be a reason. Be the first on your strasse to own one and make all the other folks in your Nachbarschaft jealous! 

Volkswagen manufactures cars in China that are not available in the home market, like the ID.6X and ID.6 Crozz. These can now be imported to Europe for those who want something different. The Chinese made ID.3 is available through the online portal for about €24,000, including VAT — about €6000 less than a domestically-produced ID.3.

Pluses & Minuses

So why isn’t everyone doing this? Because price is not the only factor when buying a new car. As Electrive points out, these cars come without dealer support. Warranties? Fugeddabowdit. Parts? Nope. Service? Bring your car to the nearest dealer in Shenzen. If your car turns itself into a brick one fine morning, who you gonna call? Do you speak Cantonese?

Since these vehicles are all built to Chinese specifications, they will be equipped with the Chinese GB/T charging standard, not the CCS2 connection commonly used in Europe. They need an adapter so that they can be charged at CCS2 charging points, which may affect charging performance. In addition, all controls will be labeled in Chinese and the vehicle’s operating system will be based on Chinese standards, which cannot easily be converted to other languages. Restrictions on use are also possible if the systems or apps can only communicate with Chinese servers.

In addition to the prices quoted, China EV Marketplace charges $400 to clear each car through customs. Then each will need to be homologated to show it meets the local vehicle codes of the country in which it will be registered. Readers may recall that some Europeans have imported Tesla Cybertrucks to countries where safety standards are more relaxed but encountered problems when they tried to drive them in other nations where safety regulations are more rigorous. China EV Marketplace will take care of the homologation process for a fee — $1500 to $4000, depending on the model and country it is going to.

In theory, customers can satisfy customs and  homologation chores themselves, but that takes time and effort. When all is said and done, the extra fees and bureaucratic hassles may diminish the benefits of importing a car from China. However, the lure of having something no one else has is an intangible that you can’t put a price on.

EV Trucks, Too

Lots of Americans are importing kei trucks from Japan, where the diminutive vehicles are popular because they are cheap and fit on crowded streets. The kei trucks must be 25 years old before they can be legally imported to the US, and they arrive with no warranty and no parts or service network to support them, although such services are beginning to develop. People take a risk when they buy them, but they serve a market niche that domestic manufacturers choose to ignore.

Speaking of trucks, China EV Marketplace will import a battery-electric Changan X2 mini box truck from Shenzen to your European country of choice at a cost of $8,090. This trucklet is perfect for inner city deliveries, but there is more to the story. Shipping can add $2,200 to $8,000 to the price, depending on destination.

The customs clearance fee is $400 and the homologation fee is $3,000. The GB/T to CCS2 charging adapter is $990. Add it all up, and the low cost truck quickly more than doubles in price. Still, if it fits a particular purpose and there are no other electric vehicles that are suitable, it may be worth it.

Then for those who prefer Jeep-like vehicles, there is the Baojun Yep, available in orange, green, or black for $11,200 plus tariffs, shipping, customs clearance, homologation, and charging adapter. The BYD Seagull, sold as the Dolphin Surf in Europe, costs $10,200 plus tariffs, shipping, and all the other necessaries, but it sells in Europe for $22,900, so importing one can still save customers a significant amount of money. Will a BYD dealer in Europe service it? That’s a question you should ask before you put your money down.

China EV Marketplace has been active in the United States, but will soon cease operations there. According to reports, sales figures have plummeted due to tariffs. So far, only around 30 vehicles have been sold in the US and those were to commercial customers for comparison purposes.

The Role Of Importers

Historically, vehicle importers have played an important role in the international auto business. For many years, Max Hoffman was the US importer for BMW automobiles, with a celebrated showroom in New York City. Brumos Porsche in Jacksonville was instrumental in building the Porsche reputation for world class race cars. Luigi Chinetti was responsible for introducing the Ferrari marque to US customers, especially through his North American Racing Team (NART).

Importing cars and trucks is big business. A little known Massachusetts auto dealer by the name of Ernie Boch made a deal to be the exclusive importer of Subarus east of the Mississippi, a move that made him a wealthy man. He used to have a yacht, the Empress Subaru, that sometimes visited Newport, RI. It was notable because it had a Subaru stowed on deck, where it could be lifted ashore via a special hoist.

Those early Subarus were ugly little cars and many of Ernie Boch’s competitors thought he was crazy to get involved with an obscure Japanese automaker. Will Chine EV Marketplace become a part of automotive history? Check back in 20 years for the answer to that question.