"The planned 25 percent tariff on imported automobiles is a gut punch for most electric vehicle makers, whose supply chains are rooted in China."
"When it rains, it pours — or so it goes for America’s beleaguered electric vehicle industry.
President Donald Trump’s plan to impose 25 percent tariffs on imported automobiles represents the latest in a series of blows to American EV-makers, who were already struggling with the president’s promise to scrap EV subsidies, roll back vehicle emissions standards and pause federal funding for charging infrastructure.
Analysts said tariffs are a setback to the automotive industry at large, with higher import duties driving up the cost of gas-powered and electric vehicles alike. But they are a gut punch for EVs in particular, which have been racing to become cost competitive with their gas-powered brethren.
... At the same time as tariffs wound the overall EV market, they could provide a window of opportunity for automakers that already produce EVs and batteries domestically and could beat competitors on price. The most likely winner is Tesla, analysts said, though other automakers could also benefit."
David Ferris and Benjamin Storrow report for E&E News March 28, 2025.