Over 78,000 Chinese electric cars have accumulated in European port terminals over the past year and a half, according to figures from the ECG (Association of European Vehicle Logistics).
"Comparing Chinese electric vehicle export figures with new vehicle registrations in the European Union shows that Chinese manufacturers have shipped many unsold cars," pointed out ECG analyst Namrita Chow.
"From the last quarter of 2022 to the first quarter of 2024, they have accumulated 78,234 unsold cars in European port terminals," Chow added.
If lined up end to end, these cars would stretch for 400 kilometres, the distance between Brussels and Frankfurt.
This significant number of unsold vehicles is impacting congestion at the Zeebrugge terminals. Most exports to Belgium consist almost exclusively of electric or hybrid vehicles. In total, one in five vehicles delivered to the Zeebrugge/Antwerp terminals is of Chinese origin.
In the past, Belgian ports have sometimes had to refuse new deliveries due to congestion.
Last year, China exported 5.8 million light vehicles worldwide. The European Union received 700,000 of these, 40% of which arrived at Zeebrugge.
