New Delhi, April 25 -- The U.S. government's recent escalation of EV battery tariffs on Chinese imports-raising Section 301 duties from 7.5 percent to 25 percent by 2024 plus a 10 percent universal levy-has sent shockwaves through the electric vehicle battery market. Industry analysts warn this could tack on over $8 billion in costs annually for U.S. automakers and energy-storage firms, threaten EV battery affordability, and accelerate the push for domestic battery manufacturing under the Inflation Reduction Act. Meanwhile, Brussels and Beijing are negotiating to replace their 45.3 percent EU EV import duties with enforceable minimum price commitments, underscoring a global tug-of-war over the future of the battery supply chain.

Since A...