
Electric Mobility
January 20, 2025. From the majestic rotunda of the US Capitol building to C-Suites around the globe, industry leaders watched attentively as the 47th President of the United States was sworn into office.
March 8, 2025. President Trump revealed the direction in which his Administration will take US trade policy, with double-digit import tariffs playing a key role. For automakers, parts suppliers and related industries historically organized to take full advantage of global supplies, the President’s speech and the rapid rollout of Executive Orders make clear that the international trade landscape has entered a new era.
A number of non-tariff policy changes also loom, from efforts to pause funding under the 2022 IRA, pulling back EV charging infrastructure monies to changes in federal climate policy. The months ahead will be challenging but the news is not all bad. By most accounts, US sales of electric vehicles continue to grow.
Tackling tariffs. They are not a simple calculation.
The long-established rules of how they are applied and at what production stage are now top-of-mind for senior executives, corporate board members and the investment community. They are complicated. They bring an immediate and long-lasting revenue impact. For these reasons, this website is designed to help executives keep abreast of the myriads of tariff announcements from the Oval Office. Our tariff tracker gives readers a quick snapshot of the “what” and our trade alerts provide the “why” and “how”.
Today, companies are taking a fresh look at their US import compliance strategies to understand and apply the right tariff calculation. And with the six-year “review” of the USMCA on the near calendar, taking full advantage of its tariff-preference provisions can be an important first step.
We can help. The ArentFox Schiff Electric Mobility team is comprised of former senior attorneys at key US trade agencies, including the US Department of Treasury and Customs and Border Protection. We work seamlessly with corporate divisions and executive offices towards the right tariff mitigation approach and add value to supply chain decisions.
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- Get the facts from As the (Customs and Trade) World Turns
Bridging the gap between policy and the bottom line.
Every company and every product is different; and so are the strategies for near and long-term advantage. These include:
- Mitigating the effect of high US tariffs, such as Section 301 China duties and Section 232 aluminum and steel duties, through tariff exclusion requests, product origin and classification analysis, and supply chain restructuring.
- Increasing the competitiveness of a company’s electric mobility products in the US market by an analysis of USMCA qualification status, i.e., the ArentFox Schiff USMCA Diagnostic.
- Determining a company’s product’s eligibility under the Trade Agreement Act (TAA) for federal government procurement.
- Taking advantage of duty-savings programs like duty drawback or special tariff classification (Chapter 98).
- Adopting reasonable care and liability standards to your supply chain to mitigate the risk of onerous CBP and government agency enforcement actions.
- Contracting effectively within a company’s supply chain (suppliers and logistics service providers) for the movement of goods into the US.
- Contracting effectively with domestic partners for the distribution of electric mobility products and their components, including the siting of charging stations.
For Us, Smart In Your World Is Not Simply a Tagline
While many of these strategies may be familiar, the current risks facing the industry demand a strategic rethinking of a company’s approach to compliance, due diligence and “reasonable care”.
This is where our team at ArentFox Schiff comes in.
Areas of Focus
- USMCA automotive rules of origin
- US import rulings, regulations and enforcement risk mitigation
- US 301 tariffs on parts imported from China
- US 232 tariffs on certain steel and aluminum imports
- NHTSA standards and proposed rulemaking
- International and domestic manufacturing and supply chain strategies
Our Recent Alerts
- “The USMCA Advantage: Avoiding the 25% Tariff for Your Company’s Bottom Line” ArentFox Schiff, March 10, 2025
- “Trump Tariff Headlines - From Talk to Action” ArentFox Schiff, February 3, 2025
- “Trump Tariffs 2.0: The Tariff Tracker” ArentFox Schiff, January 17, 2025
- “2024: Five Hot Button Trade Issues for the Electric Mobility Industry” ArentFox Schiff, January 10, 2024
- “Adjusting Imports of Automobiles and Automobile Parts Into the United States” The White House, March 26, 2025
- “Certification of Systems for Processing and Collecting Tariffs on Steel and Aluminum” Department of Commerce, March 14, 2025
- “List of products from the United States subject to 25 per cent tariffs effective March 13, 2025” Government of Canada, March 13, 2025
- “Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Adjusts Tariffs on Canada and Mexico to Minimize Disruption to the Automotive Industry” The White House, March 6, 2025
- “Implementation of Duties on Aluminum Pursuant to Proclamation 10895 Adjusting Imports of Aluminum Into the United States” The Federal Register, March 5, 2025
- “Implementation of Duties on Steel Pursuant to Proclamation 10896 Adjusting Imports of Steel Into the United States” The Federal Register, March 5, 2025
- “List of products from the United States subject to 25 per cent tariffs effective March 4, 2025” Government of Canada, March 4, 2025
- “Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Addresses the Threat to National Security from Imports of Copper” The White House, February 25, 2025
- “Advanced Manufacturing Production Credit ” Federal Register, October 28, 2024
- “US Department of Commerce Bureau of Industry and Security Notification of Proposed Rulemaking. Information and Communication technology and services (ICTS) integral to connected vehicles ” US Department of Commerce, September 23, 2024
- “Canada implementing measures to protect Canadian workers and key economic sectors from unfair Chinese trade practices ” Government of Canada, August 26, 2024
- “Part Two: Canada publishes initial list of goods subject to 100% EV Surtax ” Government of Canada, August 26, 2024
- “Consulting Canadians on the operation of the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) ” Government of Canada, August 15, 2024
- “USMCA Automotive Rules of Origin: Economic Impact and Operation, 2025 Report” Federal Register, April 16, 2024
Resources
5 Questions 5 Answers Podcast
Key Contacts
- Related Practices