EU expected to impose import tariffs of up to 25% on Chinese

Move would trigger duties of more than €2bn a year and probably prompt a trade war

The EU is expected to notify Beijing on Wednesday it intends to impose tariffs of up to 25% on imports of Chinese electric vehicles, triggering duties of more than €2bn (£1.7bn) a year and probably prompting a trade war with China.

The tariffs would be applied provisionally from next month in line with World Trade Organisation rules which would give China four weeks to challenge any evidence the EU provides justify the levies on imported EVs.