- Requiring EU-made battery cells could add €2,100 to the cost of an EV with a 60-kWh battery.
- Buyers could pay more if carmakers pass on those costs.
- Bruegel says protection should be temporary and give European carmakers time to build cheaper EVs.
Buying a European EV can come with a potentially expensive catch. Policymakers want more of the batteries powering Europe’s electric cars to be made locally, helping secure jobs and reduce dependence on China. But those batteries cost more to produce, and someone has to cover the difference. It will likely be the buyer.
