Netherlands
Chinese cars in the Netherlands: which brands sell there and since when
Facts checked
The Netherlands was one of the first doors into Europe for Chinese carmakers, and it remains a bridgehead rather than a big market. MG opened its European operation here in late 2019; BYD and Nio both launched in October 2022; Zeekr chose the Netherlands and Sweden for its European debut in the fourth quarter of 2023 and put its European headquarters in Amsterdam; Lynk & Co ran its first European city club here. Nio and its small-car brand Firefly used the Dutch market as one of their two European entry points in 2025.
Sales have not followed the symbolism. The fourteen Chinese brands tracked by BOVAG sold 12,595 cars in 2025, a 3.3% share — better than 2024 but below 2023. BYD led on 4,370, with Lynk & Co second and MG third. Zeekr grew 57.7% to 972 on the strength of the 7X, Dongfeng's inexpensive electric Box managed 441, and Nio registered just 102 cars. The best-selling Chinese model was the BYD Seal U on 2,421, followed by the Lynk & Co 01 on 2,167.
The Netherlands voted in favour of the EU's definitive countervailing duties on 4 October 2024 and applies them like every member state: a 10% standard duty on imported cars plus 7.8% to 35.3% on battery electric cars built in China, depending on the producer, since 30 October 2024.
At a glance
| Country code | NL |
|---|---|
| Region | Europe |
| Market status | Open |
| Brands recorded | 18 |
| Chinese-owned plants | 0 |
| Models on this site | 22 |
Brands sold in the Netherlands
| Brand | Status | Since | Route to market | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 名爵MG | Sold | 2019 | The company itself | The Netherlands was one of MG Motor Europe's first three markets, with Norway and France, when continental sales opened in late 2019. Third among Chinese brands in 2025. |
| 比亚迪BYD | Sold | October 2022 | The company itself | One of the first delivery countries for BYD's European passenger-car range announced at the October 2022 Paris show. 4,370 registrations in 2025, the leading Chinese brand in the Netherlands. |
| 蔚来NIO | Sold | October 2022 | The company itself | Announced at Nio's European launch event in Berlin in October 2022, alongside Germany, Denmark and Sweden. Only 102 registrations in 2025; Nio has said its Dutch operation may move to a distributor model. |
| 萤火虫Firefly | Sold | 2025 | The company itself | Nio's small-car brand used Norway and the Netherlands as its first two European markets, from the summer of 2025. |
| 小鹏Xpeng | Sold | 2022 | An independent importer | The Netherlands was among Xpeng's early European markets after Norway; by February 2023 the G9 and P7 could be ordered here alongside Denmark, Norway and Sweden. |
| 极氪Zeekr | Sold | October 2023 | The company itself | The Netherlands and Sweden were Zeekr's two European launch markets in the fourth quarter of 2023, and Zeekr's European headquarters is in Amsterdam. 972 registrations in 2025, up 57.7% on 616, largely the 7X. |
| 领克Lynk & Co | Sold | not published | The company itself | Lynk & Co opened its first European city club in Amsterdam and ran a subscription-first model before converting to dealer sales in 2024. Second among Chinese brands in the Netherlands in 2025, with 2,167 registrations of the Lynk & Co 01. Became a Zeekr subsidiary in February 2025; exact Dutch start date not established in this pass. |
| 零跑Leapmotor | Sold | September 2024 | A joint venture | One of the nine European launch countries for Leapmotor International. |
| 东风Dongfeng | Sold | not published | An independent importer | Dongfeng's small electric Box took 441 registrations in 2025; the brand's Dutch start date is not established in this pass. |
| 红旗Hongqi | Sold | not published | An independent importer | FAW's Hongqi confirmed Dutch plans for the E-HS9 in 2021 and recruited dealers; the first delivery date is not established in this pass. |
| 欧萌达Omoda | Sold | not published | The company itself | Among the Chinese brands tracked in Dutch registration data; Dutch start date not established in this pass. |
| 奇瑞探索Jaecoo | Sold | not published | The company itself | Among the Chinese brands tracked in Dutch registration data; Dutch start date not established in this pass. |
| 上汽大通Maxus | Sold | not published | An independent importer | SAIC's Maxus sells cars and vans in the Netherlands; entry date not established in this pass. |
| 极星Polestar | Sold | not published | The company itself | |
| 沃尔沃Volvo Cars | Sold | not published | The company itself | Geely Holding has owned Volvo Cars since 2010; Dutch entry long predates that. |
| 智马达smart | Sold | not published | The company itself | A 50/50 Mercedes-Benz–Geely Holding joint venture since 2020. |
| 路特斯Lotus | Sold | not published | An independent importer | Geely Holding has held a controlling stake since 2017. |
| 爱驰Aiways | Withdrawn | 2020 | An independent importer | The Netherlands was one of Aiways's larger European markets, with 86 cars in a single month at its peak. Production in China stopped in the summer of 2023 and the company withdrew from its home market in 2024. |
The rules
Stated from the document that issued them, with the date each was read. Nothing here is an interpretation.
| Rule | What it says | As of | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| EU import duty on cars | The European Union's standard most-favoured-nation duty on imported passenger cars is 10%. Any countervailing duty is charged on top of it. | European Commission, Access2Markets | |
| Countervailing duties on China-built battery electric cars | Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2024/2754 of 29 October 2024 imposed definitive countervailing duties on new battery electric vehicles for the transport of persons originating in China, applicable from 30 October 2024 for five years: BYD Group 17.0%, Geely Group 18.8%, SAIC Group 35.3%, Tesla (Shanghai) 7.8%, other cooperating companies 20.7%, all other non-cooperating companies 35.3%. | European Commission, Access2Markets | |
| Price undertakings as an alternative to the duties | On 12 January 2026 the European Commission published guidance on how Chinese exporters may offer a price undertaking instead of paying the duty, covering the minimum import price, sales channels, cross-compensation, annual volume caps and future investment in the EU. | European Commission, Directorate-General for Trade and Economic Security | |
| First accepted price undertaking | On 10 February 2026 the Commission accepted a price undertaking from Volkswagen (Anhui) Automotive Company Ltd. covering the Cupra Tavascan, in exchange for a minimum import price, a volume limit and defined EU investment milestones. The duties remain in force for every other exporter. | European Commission, Directorate-General for Trade and Economic Security | |
| The Netherlands' vote on the duties | In the member-state vote of 4 October 2024, ten states supported the duties, twelve abstained and five voted against. The Netherlands was reported at the time to be among the ten in favour, alongside Bulgaria, Denmark, Estonia, France, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland. The Council does not publish member-state votes on implementing regulations, so this rests on contemporaneous reporting. | NIO Inc. |
Western badges built in China and sold in the Netherlands
| Model | Badge | Plant | Years | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | Dacia | Shiyan, Hubei | 2021–present | |
| C5 X | Citroën | Chengdu, Sichuan | 2022–present | |
| Tavascan | Cupra | Volkswagen Anhui, Hefei | 2024–present | Covered by the EU price undertaking accepted on 10 February 2026. |
| Cooper Electric and Aceman | Mini | Spotlight Automotive, Zhangjiagang, Jiangsu | 2023–present | |
| Model 3 | Tesla | Gigafactory Shanghai | 2021–present | Start year for Shanghai supply not confirmed from a primary source. |
| EX30 | Volvo | Zhangjiakou, Hebei; also Ghent, Belgium from April 2025 | 2023–present | |
| S90 | Volvo | Daqing, Heilongjiang | 2018–present | |
| Polestar 2, 3 and 4 | Polestar | Luqiao, Chengdu and Ningbo | 2020–present | |
| #1 and #3 | smart | Xi'an, Shaanxi | 2023–present | |
| Eletre and Emeya | Lotus | Wuhan, Hubei | 2023–present |
BMW iX3 (G08) · Citroen C5 X · Cupra Tavascan · Dacia Spring · DS Automobiles DS 9 · Honda e:Ny1 · Lotus Eletre · Lotus Emeya · Mazda 6e · MG MG4 EV · Mini Cooper E / Cooper SE (J01) · Polestar Polestar 2 · smart #1 · Tesla Model 3 · Volvo EX30
Models recorded in the Netherlands
| Model | Body | Status | Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aion Aion UT | Hatchback | Announced | 320 km CLTC |
| Deepal Deepal S05 | SUV | Sold | 520 km CLTC |
| Deepal Deepal S07 | SUV | Sold | 550 km CLTC |
| Firefly Firefly | Hatchback | Announced | 420 km CLTC |
| Leapmotor B10 | SUV | Sold | 510 km CLTC |
| Leapmotor C10 | SUV | Sold | 605 km CLTC |
| Leapmotor T03 | Hatchback | Sold | 403 km NEDC |
| LEVC TX | MPV | Sold | 109 km (manufacturer figure, cycle not stated) |
| Lynk & Co 01 | SUV | Sold | 70 km WLTP |
| Lynk & Co 02 | Crossover | Sold | 435 km WLTP |
| Lynk & Co 08 | SUV | Sold | 200 km (manufacturer figure, cycle not stated) |
| NIO ES8 | SUV | Sold | 630 km CLTC |
| NIO ES6 | SUV | Sold | 450 km CLTC |
| NIO ET5 | Saloon | Sold | 585 km CLTC |
| NIO ET7 | Saloon | Sold | 550 km CLTC |
| Xpeng G6 | SUV | Sold | 625 km CLTC |
| Xpeng G9 | SUV | Sold | 725 km CLTC |
| Zeekr 001 | Estate | Sold | 710 km CLTC |
| Zeekr 007 | Saloon | Sold | 715 km CLTC |
| Zeekr 7X | SUV | Sold | 620 km CLTC |
| Zeekr 9X | SUV | Announced | 300 km CLTC |
| Zeekr X | SUV | Sold | 330 km WLTP |
Best sellers
| Model | Brand | Year | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| BYD Seal U | BYD | 2025 | 2,421 registrations, the best-selling Chinese-brand model in the Netherlands. |
| Lynk & Co 01 | Lynk & Co | 2025 | 2,167 registrations, the second best-selling Chinese-brand model. |
| BYD | BYD | 2025 | Brand total: 4,370 registrations across ten models, the leading Chinese brand in the market. |
| Zeekr | Zeekr | 2025 | Brand total: 972 registrations, up 57.7% from 616, driven by the 7X. |
| Dongfeng Box | Dongfeng | 2025 | 441 registrations for Dongfeng's small electric hatchback. |
| Nio | NIO | 2025 | Brand total: 102 registrations. |
Chinese cars in the Netherlands: questions people ask
- How many Chinese cars are sold in the Netherlands?
- The fourteen Chinese brands tracked by BOVAG registered 12,595 cars in 2025, a 3.3% market share. That was up on 2024 but still below their 2023 peak.
- Which Chinese brand sells best in the Netherlands?
- BYD, with 4,370 registrations in 2025 across ten models, ahead of Lynk & Co and MG. The single best-selling Chinese model was the BYD Seal U on 2,421, followed by the Lynk & Co 01 on 2,167.
- Why do so many Chinese carmakers base their European operations in the Netherlands?
- Amsterdam has become the default European headquarters for several of them. Zeekr moved its EU sales operation there in 2023 and Lynk & Co opened its first European city club in the city. The Netherlands was also one of MG's first three continental markets in 2019 and one of BYD's and Nio's first in 2022.
- Is Nio sold in the Netherlands?
- Yes, but barely. Nio launched here in October 2022 and registered just 102 cars in 2025. Its small-car brand Firefly used the Netherlands and Norway as its first two European markets in 2025, and Nio has said the Dutch operation may move to a distributor model.
- Do Chinese cars pay extra tariffs in the Netherlands?
- Yes, if they are battery electric and built in China. On top of the EU's standard 10% import duty, Regulation (EU) 2024/2754 has charged 7.8% to 35.3% depending on the producer since 30 October 2024. Plug-in hybrids and combustion models are not covered.
- How did the Netherlands vote on the EU tariffs?
- It was reported at the time to be among the ten member states that voted in favour on 4 October 2024. Twelve abstained and five voted against. The Council does not publish member-state votes on implementing regulations.
What changed
The only dated surface on this page. It records status changes, not news.
-
The Commission accepts the first price undertaking, from Volkswagen (Anhui) for the Cupra Tavascan.
European Commission, Directorate-General for Trade and Economic Security
-
The European Commission publishes guidance on price undertakings as an alternative to the duties.
European Commission, Directorate-General for Trade and Economic Security
-
Nio's Firefly brand launches in the Netherlands and Norway, its first two European markets.
-
The EU's definitive countervailing duties on Chinese battery electric cars begin to apply for five years.
-
Leapmotor International begins Dutch sales, one of nine European launch countries.
-
Zeekr moves its European sales operation to the Netherlands ahead of its fourth-quarter launch in the Netherlands and Sweden.
-
BYD names the Netherlands among the first delivery countries for its European range, and Nio announces Dutch sales at its Berlin launch event.
-
MG Motor Europe opens continental sales with the Netherlands among its first three markets.
Related
Sources for Netherlands
- Official Journal of the European Union (EUR-Lex), Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2024/2754 of 29 October 2024. Read .
- European Commission, Access2Markets, EU Commission imposes countervailing duties on imports of battery electric vehicles (BEVs) from China. Read .
- European Commission, Directorate-General for Trade and Economic Security, Commission issues Guidance Document on submission of price undertaking offers for battery electric vehicles from China. Read .
- European Commission, Directorate-General for Trade and Economic Security, Commission accepts price undertaking from Chinese electric car producer. Read .
- NIO Inc., NIO Announces Details of its Expansion into German, Dutch, Danish and Swedish Markets at European Launch Event. Read .
- MG Motor Europe, MG expands in Europe: where are we for sale and where soon?. Read .
- Electrek, ZEEKR to move EU sales from Sweden to the Netherlands. Read .
- Stellantis N.V., Leapmotor International Begins Operations to Expand Global Electric Vehicle Sales Starting September 2024 in Nine European Countries. Read .
- NIO Inc., NIO Expands Its European Rollout, Starting Distribution in Five Countries. Read . Nio's and Firefly's 2025–2026 European rollout, including the Dutch and Norwegian entry for Firefly.
- Auto Review, Autoverkopen 2025: zoveel auto's verkopen Chinese merken in Nederland. Read . Full-year 2025 Dutch figures by Chinese brand and model, from BOVAG data.
- BOVAG and RAI Vereniging, Cijfers. Read . The Dutch trade bodies' statistics hub, with monthly passenger-car registrations from 2021 onwards and sales by brand and model; the figures quoted here come from published analyses of that data.
- European Council on Foreign Relations, Divided we stand: The EU votes on Chinese electric vehicle tariffs. Read . The 4 October 2024 tally; the Dutch vote in favour is from contemporaneous reporting of the same vote.
- The Car Expert, Which new cars are built in China?. Read .