A top representative of Poland’s own automotive industry has warned that domestic and European car producers should brace themselves for a challenging period, as figures show how Chinese-made vehicles are making inroads into the Polish market.
The fear of being undercut by cheaper Chinese cars is compounded by the tariff war between China and the U.S., Tomasz Beben, President of the Polish Association of Automotive Manufacturers told Reuters.
Poland’s deputy Finance Minister Paweł Karbownik told TVP World on Thursday that Europe’s future trade relationship with Beijing could prove to be a bigger problem than current tensions with Washington.
With statistics showing that Chinese cars are driving growth in sales of brand-new vehicles, Beben said that European manufacturers were at risk.
“It is a really complex situation because right now we are... less competitive [in comparison] to Chinese car makers,” Beben said.
“They are entering the European market. It is a really attractive market for them. Right now, when the market in the U.S. is closed for them, the European market will be even more attractive.”
Pointing to low energy prices in China and the relatively small cost of installing cutting-edge technology in vehicles, Baben said that European markets need to brace for a hard hit from the Chinese competition.
A “major” transformation in the industry is already underway, he added, pointing to 54,000 jobs lost in the European parts manufacturing sector last year.
“In this context, additional new tariffs only add pressure to an already challenging environment,” he said.
Poland’s deputy Finance Minister Paweł Karbownik told TVP World on Thursday that Europe’s future trade relationship with Beijing could prove to be a bigger problem than current tensions with Washington.
With statistics showing that Chinese cars are driving growth in sales of brand-new vehicles, Beben said that European manufacturers were at risk.
“It is a really complex situation because right now we are... less competitive [in comparison] to Chinese car makers,” Beben said.
“They are entering the European market. It is a really attractive market for them. Right now, when the market in the U.S. is closed for them, the European market will be even more attractive.”
Pointing to low energy prices in China and the relatively small cost of installing cutting-edge technology in vehicles, Baben said that European markets need to brace for a hard hit from the Chinese competition.
A “major” transformation in the industry is already underway, he added, pointing to 54,000 jobs lost in the European parts manufacturing sector last year.
“In this context, additional new tariffs only add pressure to an already challenging environment,” he said.
Spare parts tariff trouble
Beben spoke to Reuters on the back of a meeting between Poland’s Prime Minister Donald Tusk and industry leaders this week, highlighting government concern about the industry amidst a global trade war.
As the world's seventh-largest exporter of spare parts, Poland faces a great threat from proposed tariff barriers with the U.S., Beben said.
“Our exports to Western companies are much higher. Parts and components produced in Poland are mounted in new vehicles which are heading to the United States - so in this context, it is a significant threat.”
New cars on the block
Car sales are on the up in Poland. Poles bought nearly 50,000 vehicles in the first quarter of 2025, which represents an 11% rise year on year.
Chinese vehicles are responsible for roughly 80% of the increase in sales, statistics show. Experts argue that the increased availability of cheaper Asian cars has led to a fundamental change to the Polish markets, business website Puls Biznesu reported.
According to experts quoted by the paper, Chinese cars - which retail for 20,000-50,000 złoty (€4,700- €11,700) less than comparable European models - have led Poles away from second-hand cars towards brand-new vehicles. In the first quarter of 2025, 36% of all car purchases by individuals in Poland were new cars – an increase of 7% year on year.
“It is a very noticeable increase, which may be a harbinger of significant structural changes in the market,” Kamil Makula, CEO of online car retailer Superauto.pl, told Puls Biznesu.
The most popular Chinese brand in Poland is MG, which sold almost 1,900 cars in the quarter, followed by Omoda (758), Baic (519), Jaecoo (453) and others. Together, the companies have a roughly 8% share of the market, which the experts expect to increase, fueled by organic growth and new Chinese companies entering Poland.
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