News
- The UK could impose tariffs on EVs imported from China
- Chinese manufacturers warn this will increase prices for consumers
- Germany wants the UK to back its Made in Europe plans
The UK’s Prime Minister, Andy Burnham, met with Germany’s chancellor Friedrich Merz this week to discuss, among other things, the possibility of increasing tariffs on imported Chinese electric vehicles as a of show solidarity with Germany’s proposed “Made in Europe” plans.
Under a new set of rules, Germany is recommending policies that favor European producers and carmakers in response to trade practices by competitors like China and the United States, according to Politico.
Raising tariffs on cars imported from China could be seen as a way for the UK and Europe’s car industry to fend off the swathe of low-cost, state-subsidized vehicles that have been increasing in popularity over the past few years.
Recent figures released by the UK’s Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) reveal that BYD is rapidly gaining ground on Tesla’s long-standing best-seller, the Model 3, as well as its Model Y — the two SUVs that regularly top battery electric vehicles (BEVs) sales charts.
In fact, BYD placed third and fourth this September with huge numbers of the Sealion 7 and the Seal, while Leapmotor, which only went on sale in the UK last year, crept into the top ten with its B10 SUV.
The table above (from SMMT) shows how well Chinese brands like BYD and Leapmotor performed in the UK in September 2026. (Image credit: SMMT)The SMMT says that electrified vehicles have “helped power growth”, taking a record 58.4% of all registrations if you factor in both BEVs and hybrids.
But Guy Pigounakis, commercial director of the Chinese-owned MG, has already warned that any proposal to match the European Commission’s levy of up to 45% on imports would have a “significant impact” on prices and would only serve to drive up inflation and potentially interest rates.
“You see that all across the world,” he told The Telegraph.
Analysis: Affordable Chinese EVs are fueling growth (Image credit: Leapmotor)Imposing tariffs typically creates a Catch-22 situation where domestic businesses experience greater protection from outside threats, but the consumer ends up shouldering the burden through increased prices and lesser choice.
The UK’s EV sales figures don’t lie — it’s clear to see companies like BYD, Jaecoo, MG and Leapmotor are winning over customers with great products at almost unbeatable prices.
The problem is, this is dragging customers away from Germany’s biggest brands, such as Volkswagen and Audi, both of which sat at the very bottom of the Top Models sales charts this September in the UK.
Despite more affordable and capable electric options coming online this year from the likes of Renault, Skoda and Mercedes-Benz, they are still being outsold by relative newcomers BYD, with Geely, Omoda and many more waiting in the wings.
As with battery and charging technology in general, it appears China is already one step ahead, as some of the biggest EV manufacturers are making moves to protect themselves against the threat of future tariffs by exploring and opening more manufacturing plants in European locations.
Apple's most extreme Mac Studio, an M5 Ultra with 512GB of memory aimed at running huge AI models locally, is due to ship in late October. And that might be one reason why I'm seeing the - ahem - "cheaper" M5 Max model dropping $200 in price right now.
• Best for: Creative professionals and AI developers who want Mac Studio power without paying M5 Ultra prices.
• The deal: The Apple Mac Studio (M5 Max, 36GB, 512GB) is $2299 (was $2499) at B&H Photo.
• Why it matters: We're expecting to see more of the 512GB M5 Ultra at Apple's upcoming event next week. And I reckon we could be looking at prices starting well above $10,000. That makes the M5 Max Mac Studio the machine most people can realistically buy, and it's now cheaper as the new flagship approaches.
Today's best Mac Studio (M5 Max) dealMac Studio (M5 Max): was $2499 now $2299
This is the base M5 Max configuration, with an 18-core CPU, 32-core GPU and 16-core Neural Engine. It has four Thunderbolt 5 ports, 10Gb Ethernet, HDMI 2.1, an SD card slot and Wi-Fi 7, and B&H notes that supply at this price is limited.View Deal
Our roundup of M5 Ultra Mac Studio reviews revealed the Ultra's real strength is local AI, while its multi-core lead over the M5 Max is only about 26% and single-core performance is about the same, which is why the roundup points most creative users to the M5 Max. The M5 Max is the best-suited model for most professionals, as 36GB of memory fits many workflows. However, 1TB is a more practical starting point for storage than 512GB, and that's currently discounted to $2579 (was $2799) on the site.
Price Context & Historical ValueAt $2,299, this is $200 (8%) off Apple's $2,499 starting price. Now, Mac Studio discounts may improve in the months after launch, especially around Black Friday, so this may not be the lowest price it reaches - but it's the lowest I've seen right now. As with previous Macs, you can't upgrade the memory in this model later, so make sure 36GB is enough before you buy.
Should you buy it?✅ Buy the Apple Mac Studio (M5 Max) if...
You want Mac Studio performance for creative work or local AI at around $2,300, and you don't need the M5 Ultra's 512GB memory ceiling.
❌ Skip the Apple Mac Studio (M5 Max) if...
You need the 512GB M5 Ultra for large local AI models, or you want more than 512GB of storage without an external drive.