Just over a year ago, we reported that China EV Marketplace (CEVM) had abandoned selling used electric vehicles in Europe due to quality concerns. Now the importer is embracing precisely that market, claiming sales of 7,900 pre-owned cars to European customers in nine months.
With discounts reaching 40%, used Chinese EVs offer a potentially attractive alternative to new imports, without the additional EU countervailing duties.
When NewMobility.news covered the direct import of Chinese EVs in August 2025, China EV Marketplace (CEVM) was adamant: “All offered cars are new cars; we ceased the used car business a few years ago due to various problems with quality.”
Reversed course
Fourteen months later, the company has reversed course. According to figures shared with CarNewsChina, CEVM sold 7,900 used vehicles to EU customers between January and September 2026, up 280% year-on-year. Meanwhile, sales of new vehicles fell by 44%.
The importer now advertises more than 2,600 used EVs, including models from Xiaomi, BYD, Denza, and Avatr. According to COO Jakub Geršl, China’s fierce domestic price war has pushed down second-hand values, allowing CEVM to find cars with around 6,000 kilometers on the clock at 40% below their original Chinese list prices.
CEVM is also opening a delivery center in Prague, initially stocking 20 EVs, to shorten the roughly three-month waiting time for customers importing directly from China.
Avoiding additional EU tariffs
The company’s strategic U-turn is driven by more than depreciation. Since October 2024, new Chinese-built battery-electric vehicles have faced EU countervailing duties of up to 35.3%, in addition on the ordinary 10% import tariff.
Genuinely used EVs fall outside these additional measures, potentially creating a significant competitive advantage. But Brussels has already taken action against attempts to exploit this distinction.
In September 2025, European Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič confirmed, in response to a parliamentary question from Belgian Vlaams Belang MEP Barbara Bonte, that some importers had temporarily registered new Chinese cars abroad before importing them as second-hand vehicles.
The Commission tightened its customs classification guidance in January 2025. To qualify as used, a vehicle must have been permanently registered for more than six months or have covered more than 6,000 kilometers.
At the time, Brussels reported that official Eurostat figures still showed only double-digit monthly imports of used Chinese EVs, with no significant increase following the introduction of countervailing duties.
That contrasts sharply with CEVM’s latest sales claims. However, the 7,900 vehicles represent company-reported sales to EU customers, not independently verified European imports or registrations. No reliable breakdown is available for Belgium, the Netherlands, or Luxembourg.
What about homologation and software?
Importing a used Chinese EV is not necessarily as straightforward as buying a European second-hand car. Chinese domestic-market vehicles generally lack European Whole Vehicle Type Approval, although CEVM offers individual homologation.
Through its Czech subsidiary, China EV Export, the company accepts orders from buyers throughout the EU, including Belgium and the Netherlands. Its online import calculator estimates transport, customs duties, and approval costs, with delivery to the buyer’s country or collection in Prague.
CEVM advertises an individual BEV homologation package costing approximately $3,800, including necessary technical modifications. It even claims to guarantee registration in any EU country, although this promise has not been independently verified for Belgium or the Netherlands. The process reportedly takes two to six weeks.
Chinese-market EVs generally use GB/T charging connectors, requiring Type 2 adapters for European AC charging and more sophisticated CCS2-to-GB/T converters for DC fast charging.
Compatibility and charging speeds are not guaranteed. Navigation, embedded SIM cards, manufacturer apps, and over-the-air updates may also encounter problems outside China.
No official European service network
Warranty claims and replacement parts can pose additional problems, especially for models without an official European service network. CEVM offers assistance with manufacturer warranty claims and refers customers to its Prague service partner, but buyers may still face shipping costs and delays.
The advertised 40% discount is relative to Chinese list prices, not European retail prices. Nevertheless, avoiding additional EU countervailing duties can make a significant difference.
In an illustrative Belgian calculation, a €30,000 used Chinese EV could cost around €46,000 after shipping, import duty, VAT, and homologation, compared with approximately €63,000 for a comparable new import costing €36,000 before taxes and subject to a 20% additional duty.
Xiaomi SU7 offered in Belgium
However, buying an imported car already offered second-hand in Europe is not necessarily more expensive. A Xiaomi SU7 Standard with just 8,274 kilometers on the odometer was recently advertised in Belgium for €45,000, even though the model is not officially available in Europe.
Xiaomi plans to enter the European market in 2027, initially in Germany. Remarkably, the Belgian seller claimed the car had been registered in Germany but could not be registered in Flanders because its lights and seatbelts lacked the required European E-approval markings.
These are recognizable by a capital E inside a circle, followed by a number identifying the country that granted approval (for example, E1 for Germany or E6 for Belgium). Unlike the familiar CE mark, this E-mark certifies compliance with applicable international vehicle component regulations.
Nevertheless, the rapid growth claimed by CEVM suggests that European buyers are increasingly willing to accept these compromises.
The question is whether this remains a niche business for adventurous buyers or becomes a significant parallel-import channel. For now, the number of used Chinese EVs actually entering and being registered in Europe remains the missing piece of the puzzle.
