As the global electric bicycle market continues to boom, one critical but often overlooked factor for brands and distributors is import duties. These tariffs and trade-remedy measures can significantly impact landed cost, profit margins and competitiveness. At Haidong E‑Bike we help our partners navigate these challenges — especially by leveraging our factory in Vietnam to reduce tariff exposure.
United States: High Tariff Risks, Big Cost Impacts
In the U.S., e-bikes imported from high-risk origins are facing increasingly steep tariffs:
- Recent rulings under Section 232 have added a 50% steel tariff on e-bikes, because of the steel content in frames.
- For imports from China, the combination of different trade actions means the effective tariff burden can be very high, squeezing margins.
- Advantage with Vietnam origin: If your e-bike is manufactured (or substantially assembled) in Vietnam, you may avoid or significantly reduce China-origin tariffs, giving you a cost advantage in the U.S. market.
UK & Europe: Moderate Duty + Anti-Dumping Measures
In the UK and EU markets:
- Europe has extended its anti-dumping and countervailing duties on electric bikes from China for another five years. Rates range from about 10.3% to 70.1% for anti-dumping, and 3.9% to 17.2% for countervailing duties.
- The UK’s Trade Remedies Authority found that tariffs on Chinese e-bikes ranged from 18.8% to 79.3% for that origin.
- While the base duty might appear moderate, the effective duty depends heavily on origin, exporter, and cooperation status.
- Advantage with Vietnam factory: Manufacturing in Vietnam allows you to claim Vietnamese origin, helping your importers in the UK/EU avoid China-specific duty bands, thus improving margin or enabling more competitive pricing.
Australia: Low Tariff Barrier, Opportunity for Premium Brands
Australia presents a relatively favorable tariff scenario:
- According to industry submissions, the e-bike import tariff is seen as a “nuisance tariff” — small and under review for removal.
- This means lower landed duty cost compared to high-tariff markets like the U.S.
- Advantage: For premium or custom-branded e-bikes, Australia offers an opportunity to compete on value rather than only on price — manufacturing via Vietnam again strengthens your supply chain cost-structure.
Why Manufacturing in Vietnam Matters
Here’s how our Vietnam factory supports your brand and market strategy:
- Reduced tariff exposure: By producing your e-bikes or major assemblies in Vietnam, you avoid many China-origin tariffs and trade-remedy burdens.
- Customisation & branding: Our Vietnam facility enables flexible OEM/ODM production so you can build your own brand, differentiate from generic imports, and avoid price wars.
- Global market access: The combination of Vietnam origin + custom branding + efficient logistics helps you enter the US, UK/EU, Australia markets with stronger margin and position.