EU countries on Friday gave a definitive green light to hefty additional tariffs on electric cars made in China, despite strong opposition led by Germany and fears it will spark a trade war with Beijing.

The European Union voted on Friday to impose tariffs as high as 45% on electric vehicles from China, threatening a broader trade conflict with Beijing which has already vowed to protect its companies.

European Union members face a pivotal vote on Friday on whether to impose tariffs of up to 45% on imports of Chinese-made electric vehicles in the bloc's highest profile trade case, which risks retaliation from Beijing.