US tariffs cost the German auto industry 500 million euros in April alone, said Hildegard Müller, head of the German Automotive Industry Association (VDA), in an interview with the Funke media group.
“We have roughly estimated that in April German manufacturers may have incurred additional costs of around half a billion euros in export transactions with the US“, she said, recalling that tariffs on auto parts were also added in May.
Müller drew attention to the importance of the German auto industry for the American economy. “Our car manufacturers and suppliers employ approximately 140,000 people in the US, and in 2024 alone "They have produced over 840,000 cars, about half of which are for export," she said.
The US administration imposed a 25% tariff on all imported cars on April 3. On April 9, US President Donald Trump announced that he was suspending additional import duties imposed on a reciprocal basis on a number of countries and territories for 90 days. The White House explained that the pause was due to trade negotiations. During this period, a universal tariff of 10% will be in effect.