Executives from Volkswagen and its Audi brand told the media that collaborating with Chinese automakers looking to expand their electric vehicle market in Europe is one of Volkswagen’s strategies to counter declining local sales. Audi CEO Gernot Döllner said he believes in free trade and opposes the EU’s higher tariffs on Chinese EV imports, arguing that protectionist measures would ultimately undermine Audi’s competitive edge. Currently, Audi produces localized EVs in China through a partnership with SAIC Motor, and Döllner suggested that similar models could be replicated by Chinese brands in Europe. Volkswagen’s Chief Financial Officer, David Powels, also did not rule out the possibility of Chinese automakers taking over idle production capacity in Germany.