The European Union will press ahead with hefty tariffs on China-made electric vehicles, the EU executive said on Friday, even after the bloc's largest economy Germany rejected them, exposing a rift over its biggest trade row with Beijing in a decade.

The EU conformed its decision to raise tariffs on Chinese EVs, leading to worries this might raise trade tensions.

The European Union will go ahead with steep tariffs on Chinese EVs, an EU executive said on Friday, even as Germany rejects them, Reuters reported. The 45% duty on EVs made in China will cost carmakers billions to get cars into the bloc and are slated to be imposed next month onwards for five years, Reuters noted.