US Import Duty on Chinese Electric Scooters Now Stacks to 37.5%: An OEM Buyer's Guide
The short answer for anyone costing a container today: electric scooters and e-motorcycles from China under HTS 8711.60.00.90 face an effective duty of 37.5% — a 25% Section 301 (List 2) tariff plus a 12.5% forced-labor tariff under 9903.05.31, in force since 24 July 2026. Priced on a $10,000 shipment, that is $3,750 in duty before CBP fees. If your landed-cost model still says 25%, it is out of date — and the difference is exactly the margin you thought you were quoting.
1. The rate today, in one paragraph
Three layers stack on the customs value. The general (Column 1) rate for 8711.60.00.90 is free. Section 301 China List 2 adds 25%. Section 301 forced labor under 9903.05.31 — added by US note 52 on 24 July 2026 — adds another 12.5% on products of China. On top of duty, CBP collects the Merchandise Processing Fee (0.3464% of value) and, for ocean entries, the Harbor Maintenance Fee (0.125%).
2. How the rate got here
The number moved twice this year. Until 20 February 2026, IEEPA-based tariffs added roughly 20 points and the combined rate sat near 45%; after the SCOTUS ruling removed them, the lane repriced to 25%. The forced-labor action then added 12.5 points on 24 July 2026, bringing the current 37.5%. The lesson for importers is that this lane reprices on legal events, not budget cycles — your cost model needs a trigger to re-check, not an annual review.
3. What it does to landed cost
Worked example, as priced by the Gateway tariff engine on 6 October 2026: a $10,000 customs value carries $3,750 in duty and $47.14 in CBP fees — $13,797.14 landed before freight. Two structural points matter more than the arithmetic:
- De minimis does not rescue small orders. E-bikes and scooters involve Partner Government Agency requirements (CPSC, EPA), so the Section 321 $800 exemption does not apply, and entries valued at $2,500 or more are formal entries with a bond and broker fees.
- Safety files are entry-critical. CPSC certification (16 CFR Part 1512) and, in practice, UL 2849 for the electrical system are what cities, insurers and fire codes ask for — and what compliance audits check first.
4. Where OEM structure can and cannot help
Duty follows origin and declared value, so the levers are structural, not cosmetic. Substantial transformation outside China can change the origin story — but assembly alone does not, and CBP assesses the 25% on a Chinese frame that was only bolted together abroad. That is why an honest OEM program is explicit about scope: SKD and CKD kits make sense for large-part product categories where the work genuinely shifts, while finished-unit programs should be quoted with duty-inclusive numbers so you can compare like for like. Ask for both; a supplier who will not quote duty-inclusive is asking you to absorb the surprise.
5. What to do next
If you import to the US, rebuild your landed-cost model at 37.5% before you sign the next PO, and pressure-test every supplier quote against it. AURORIDE runs OEM and SKD/CKD programs for the US market — start at the OEM overview, the SKD/CKD program or the factory page, or look at the mobility scooter line, which follows the same import logic. For EU-side sourcing, the dealer application routes to the right desk.