The imposition of additional 25% tariff Erratic policy of the European Union itself and its imposition of strong fines if emission reduction deadlines are not met and for the invasion of Chinese brands in the main countries market.
This new disadvantage for exports to one of the main markets of the world for European automotive is causing a generalized fall in the stock market values of the main manufacturing groups, with the exception of Renault, which is the only Donald Trump. Even important Asian brands, such as Toyota, Hyundai, Honda or Nissan They have noticed the earthquake of this last measure, writing down strong losses.
Business associations in the sector have expressed concern about the impact that this measure can have on the entire value chain of the car, including distribution and employment in Spain. The European automotive sector maintains a solid commercial relationship with the United States for decades.
The introduction of an additional 25% tariff will foreseeably reduce the Competitiveness of European vehicles In the US market, which will affect not only manufacturers, but also the entire supply network and marketing linked to the sector, from the first -hand components to the spare parts of all kinds.
Spain, as the second vehicle manufacturer of the European Union and with an industrial fabric highly integrated in the European supply chain, will be indirectly but relevant.
The Spanish component plants supply manufacturers that operate throughout the continent and that allocate a part of their production to the US market. A drop in demand in this market could have effects on the activity of these companies, on employment and on future investment decisions.
An example is the Ford Factory in Almusafes that, from 2027, planned to build the new generation of Ford Kuga to export, among other countries, to the United States. The establishment of tariffs can vary the future strategy of the Valencian plant, which is never good news for employment.
The motor sector is one of the main industries of the European Union and specifically in Spain represents 10% of GDP and provides the 9.5% of jobsin addition to facilitating a positive balance to the balance of payments, since exports 82% of production.
In the past year he had a production of about one million units, although this figure was a decline of more than 25% compared to the amounts that were recorded before the pandemic. And in 2019 they left the Spanish assembly chains 1.25 million units. In the case of USA, Spain exported 8,316 cars in 2024. The value was just 178.5 million dollars.
But tariffs would not only affect manufacturers, but the whole auxiliary industry, A sector especially Powerful in Spain since it has more than a thousand companies, with a Billing of more than 40,000 million of euros, which employs more than 330,000 people directly to indirectly and exports more than 60% of its turnover. The measure could also affect distribution networks in Spain since they could be affected by possible adjustments in the availability of certain models or strategic decisions.
In this sense, the Spanish Association of Automotive Suppliers (Sernauto) yesterday alerted the “strong” impact that this measure could have on the European manufacturing industry of parts and components. The US was the eighth commercial partner of the Spanish automotive sector in 2024, with a billing figure of 1,021 million euros. The EU is the main destination of Spanish sales in the supplier industry, with a volume of 16,655 million, representing more than 65% of the total. The main commercial partners within the EU were Germany (3,950 million euros) and France (3,840 million euros).
The problem is especially bleeding to Germany. The estimates of the German engine employer (VDA) indicate that 86% of medium -sized automotive companies expect tariffs. Half (54%) provides indirect impacts, through suppliers and customers, and one in three companies (32%) is considered directly affected.
The US is key to the German car industry, since more than 844,000 vehicles were produced in 2024, approximately half of which were exported to everyone. In addition, the German automotive industry uses some 138,000 people in the US.
The Japanese brands They will also suffer. It is estimated that additional tariffs could cost Japanese manufacturers about 19.8 billion more in encumbrances and leave some losses. The engine accounted for 28.3% of Japanese exports to the US in 2024, the highest proportion sector, followed by the shipments of car components (5.8%).
Judicial for the American consumer
The measure will affect 46% of the US light vehicles, so the impact for US consumers will be remarkable. The price of vehicles is expected to be expected Between $ 4,000 and $ 15,000. The price of a 100% vehicle produced in the US will increase about $ 3,000 while those mounted in Mexico or Canada will double this figure, according to Cox Automotive. Goldman raises the price increase between $ 5,000 and $ 15,000.