China's meteoric rise as the world's powerhouse of electric vehicle production makes Western efforts to curb their exports a tough sell — and means they could even stifle the fight against climate change, analysts warn.

EU states voted on Friday to impose tariffs of up to 45% on imported EVs from China — part of a bid to protect its automotive industry from low-cost, subsidized competition.

And the United States has sought to stop a flood of cheap Chinese electric cars from flooding its markets, undercutting its own car giants and pricing out American workers.