Asianfin – In response to the United States' decision to significantly raise tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles (EVs) to protect its local industry, several Chinese automakers exporting EVs to the U.S. market have already taken strategic measures.*

Polestar, a Swedish electric car manufacturer with Chinese ties, has begun producing its Polestar 3 model in South Carolina as of August this year. The South Carolina factory is dedicated to producing vehicles for the U.S. and European markets and will complement the production capacity of Polestar's Chengdu plant in China. Additionally, the Polestar 4 model is expected to start production in South Korea by mid-2025. Reports suggest that Polestar plans to leverage the Renault Korea factory, in which Geely Holding Group holds a stake, for manufacturing vehicles to be sold in Europe and the U.S.

Meanwhile, Lotus Group CEO Feng Qingfeng announced at the end of August that the company has delayed the launch of its new car in the U.S. by one quarter. The new vehicle is now scheduled to begin deliveries in the first quarter of next year.

These moves indicate that Chinese EV makers are actively adjusting their production and market strategies in response to the increased tariffs, aiming to mitigate the impact on their U.S. sales.