International car manufacturers are currently increasing their vehicle deliveries to the USA. This is due to the new import tariffs imposed by US President Donald Trump.
In future, a tariff of 25% is to be levied on all vehicles that were not produced in the USA. This also applies to car parts. Countries with significant car exports to the USA, including Germany, Japan, South Korea, Mexico and Canada, are particularly affected. Trump wants to use so-called reciprocity tariffs to punish countries that he considers to be trading unfairly with the USA.
Several shipping companies are reporting a sharp increase in demand. Car manufacturers have chartered additional transport ships to ship more vehicles from Asia and Europe to the USA. According to Wallenius Wilhelmsen, the volume of freight from Asia currently exceeds the available capacity. More is also being shipped from Europe. A German car manufacturer confirmed that more vehicles are being sent to the United States.
Vehicle exports from the EU to the USA rose by 22% in February compared to the previous year. Japan shipped 14% more cars and South Korea 15% more. Honda, Hyundai and Kia are also trying to bring as many vehicles as possible to America before the deadline.
Car shipments from East Asia are also expected to increase soon. Stellantis, the parent company of Chrysler and Jeep, is moving stock across the border to US plants. At the same time, production in North America has been increased.
Car manufacturers criticize tariffs
The announcement of new US tariffs has caused sharp criticism across the industry. John Bozzella, President of the American Alliance for Automotive Innovation, warns of rising production costs and a decline in vehicle sales in the USA. Lasse Kristoffersen, Managing Director of Wallenius Wilhelmsen, said that the long-term effects on the international car trade are not yet foreseeable.
America is the most important sales market for German car manufacturers – according to the Federal Statistical Office, more new cars went there in 2024 than to any other country. Almost every third Porsche and every sixth BMW was sold in North America. VDA President Hildegard Müller warns that the planned US tariffs will affect both German exports and the US economy. She is calling for bilateral negotiations between the EU and the USA to mitigate the consequences. German manufacturers already produced over 844,000 vehicles in the United States in 2024 to avoid tariffs – around half of which were exported. (rup)
