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Section 301 Tariff effect on EUCs?


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E-bikes and batteries from China are subject to a 25% tariff as of June 20, 2024
https://www.theverge.com/2024/5/29/24166934/ebike-battery-china-tariff-price-increase-biden-climate

Does anyone know if this includes EUCs?

If so, it was a smart move by Begode to ship an economy wheel before the deadline.

Also, prices on new big-battery EUCs are going to be ridiculous!

I wonder if this will push US retailers to source non-Chinese battery cells (Samsung, LG, Molicel) to be assembled into packs in the US?

Perhaps it will also foster the creation of a US EUC manufacturer.

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5 hours ago, Asphalt said:

Perhaps it will also foster the creation of a US EUC manufacturer.

It won't. US patent expires in 2035, until then Segway is the only US firm that can manufacture EUC's.

IMO patent system is evil, serves no function other than making rich richer and should be destroyed. Or at least sped up.

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11 hours ago, atdlzpae said:

It won't. US patent expires in 2035, until then Segway is the only US firm that can manufacture EUC's.

IMO patent system is evil, serves no function other than making rich richer and should be destroyed. Or at least sped up.

The patent doesn't exclude a US EUC manufacturer from existing. They could negotiate a licensing fee for the components under patent.

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On 6/24/2024 at 1:54 PM, Asphalt said:

The patent doesn't exclude a US EUC manufacturer from existing. They could negotiate a licensing fee for the components under patent.

the problem there though is trying to compete price wise with the other wheels on the market that are already far more established and have had time to work out their kinks over the past 5-10 years.

It's possible, but there's unfortunately a lot of hurdles to overcome to get there on top of the hurdles of just operating a business in general.
If it does happen it's likely to be a group that's passionate about them, as most general businesses wouldn't be as interested in tackling the market, especially given the unfortunate state of US PEV laws.

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  • 3 weeks later...
The crux of this seems to be: "what product code are EUCs imported under?"
 
The product code search tool is here:  https://uscensus.prod.3ceonline.com/#!#current-question-pos
Candidates I found were:
87.11
 
Motorcycles (including mopeds) and cycles fitted with an auxiliary motor, with or without side-cars:
 
8711.60.0000
 
 -
With electric motor for propulsion
and
9503.00.0000
 
Tricycles, scooters, pedal cars and similar wheeled toys; dolls' carriages; dolls; other toys; reduced-size ("scale") models, and similar recreational models, working or not; puzzles of all kinds; parts and accessories thereof

and

9902.17.09   1/ Unicycles (provided for in 8712.00.50)
 
Then according to https://hts.usitc.gov/search?query=8711.60 
... we find the tariff amount for friendly countries: 
8711.60: 0% + 9903.88.02 China 25% (per Note 20(d): 8711.60.00) = 25% 
  ^ exemption in Note 20(ttt) expired June 14, 2024
9503.00: Free (with no special treatment for China) 
9902.17.09: Free (with no special treatment for China) 
 
Did I get that right?
 
Since there are no separate categories to distinguish e-bicycle from e-motorcycle from e-unicycle, it seems we're stuck with whatever changes impact the product code 8711.60 
 
Looks like there was also an earlier ruling in 2020 about Inmotion V5... throwing it into 8711.60 with its 25% China tariff. 
 
Import duties (tariff) for some specific things are comical: ping-pong paddles owe 5.1%. Fishing lures owe 9%. Small bicycles are 11%, but adult bicycles are 5.5%. Golf balls are free. Etc etc.
 
Edited by RagingGrandpa
I found the U-word in 9902
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