Energy & Batteries Tariff Rates 2026: US Import Duties by Country & HTS Code

What This Covers

The energy and batteries surcharge covers solar panels, lithium-ion batteries, electric vehicle batteries, energy storage systems, and related clean energy components classified under HTS chapter 85. This sector faces the most aggressive Section 301 tariff actions of any category: Chinese solar panels are subject to a 50% surcharge and EV batteries face a 25% surcharge, reflecting US policy to build domestic clean energy manufacturing. These Section 301 tariffs were completely unaffected by the Supreme Court's February 20, 2026 ruling. The 10% Section 122 tariff (in effect February 24 – July 24, 2026) applied as the additional layer across non-EU source countries; EU-origin clean energy equipment instead falls under the EU-US trade deal's 10% net of Column 1 for ordinary goods (15% only in lieu of Section 232 for autos, qualifying semiconductor articles, and drones) ceiling since July 1, 2026. The 10% Section 122 tariff expired at its 150-day statutory limit on July 24, 2026 and was replaced the same day by the Section 301 forced-labor tariff — a two-tier 10%/12.5% duty on roughly 60 economies, with most major exporters (including China) in the 12.5% tier and a smaller group in the 10% tier.

Most Affected Countries

China faces the most extreme tariff burden of any sector, with 50% Section 301 on solar panels and 25% on EV batteries stacking on top of the 12.5% forced-labor tariff, creating combined rates of 62.5%+ on solar and 37.5%+ on batteries. South Korea and Japan, as major battery manufacturers, now sit in the forced-labor tariff's 10% tier — a reduction from their former IEEPA reciprocal rates — strengthening their competitive position against Chinese battery suppliers. Malaysia and Taiwan, which serve as important assembly points for solar components, sit in the 10% tier while Thailand is in the 12.5% tier, but all continue to face scrutiny for potential circumvention of Chinese tariff orders.

How Surcharges Stack

Chinese solar panels face the 50% Section 301 tariff plus the 12.5% forced-labor tariff, for combined rates exceeding 62.5% that have effectively eliminated direct Chinese solar panel imports. EV batteries from China face the 25% Section 301 surcharge plus the 12.5% forced-labor tariff, totaling approximately 37.5%. South Korean batteries now face only the 10% forced-labor tariff on top of any base duty — a marked improvement from their former IEEPA reciprocal rate — giving Korean manufacturers like LG and Samsung SDI an even wider competitive advantage over Chinese alternatives. Solar panels assembled in Southeast Asian countries face the 10% or 12.5% forced-labor tariff by tier, though anti-circumvention investigations remain a risk factor. Section 122 expired July 24, 2026 and was replaced the same day by the Section 301 forced-labor tariff, keeping a wide price gap between Chinese and non-Chinese clean energy products.

Sourcing Strategies

South Korea and Japan are now the clear winners for battery sourcing, with the 10% forced-labor tariff offering a dramatically lower tariff burden than China's 37.5% combined rate. Investing in domestic US solar panel and battery manufacturing continues to be supported by Inflation Reduction Act incentives that offset higher production costs. For solar components, the forced-labor tariff's 10% tier across India, Malaysia, and other emerging solar manufacturing countries narrows tariff-driven preferences and allows procurement teams to focus on quality, reliability, and anti-circumvention compliance. Section 122 expired July 24, 2026 and was replaced the same day by the Section 301 forced-labor tariff, so non-China battery and solar imports carry a locked 10% or 12.5% base surcharge by tier — keeping this a pivotal period for companies to establish supply relationships with Korean, Japanese, and Southeast Asian clean energy manufacturers.