BRUSSELS — Billionaire Elon Musk scored a win in his tempestuous relationship with Brussels on Tuesday, securing a lower, individual duty on the cars his company Tesla makes in China and sells to the European Union.
The European Commission announced final duties on imports of made-in-China electric vehicles following a probe into unfair Chinese state subsidies. While EV makers will face duties of up to 36.3 percent, Tesla will be charged only 9 percent after the company secured individual treatment.
The tech mogul’s relationship with Brussels could hardly be thornier. Just last week, Musk insulted the EU’s top digital enforcer Thierry Breton, who had warned the X owner about the EU’s rules on promoting hate speech ahead of Musk’s livestreamed conversation with former President Donald Trump. Within hours, Breton faced accusations of meddling in American politics.
Then, there’s the EU’s gambit to compete with Musk’s Starlink global satellite network as it struggles with cost overruns and project delays.
