September 16, 2026 · 18 min read
Importing a Chinese EV to Ireland: EU Countervailing Duty, 23% VAT, and the VRT Relief Expiring in December 2026
Importing a Chinese EV to Ireland stacks the EU's full trade-defence regime: 10% MFN duty, then a brand-specific countervailing duty (BYD 17%, Geely 18.8%, SAIC 35.3%, others 20.7%), then 23% VAT — a BYD Seal lands at about $45,384 (+83.8%), roughly $6,544 above the same car in the UK. One more bill waits at registration: Ireland's CO2-banded VRT, currently zeroed for most EVs by a relief of up to €5,000 that expires on 31 December 2026 and is already gone above €50,000. Here is the full stack, model by model.
Ireland EV Import Landed Cost