Renault Chairman Jean-Dominique Senard on Saturday said that a Chinese storm is looming over Europe’s growing electric vehicle (EV) sector,

China’s recent decision to restrict exports of two metals – gallium and germanium – used in semiconductors and EVs should raise red flags for European leaders as it shows the continent’s over-reliance on China and the need to build a costly supply chain, Senard said in an interview with Reuters.

“When I talk about a Chinese storm, I’m talking about the strong pressure today related to Chinese (electric) vehicle imports into Europe,” Senard said.

“We are capable of making electric vehicles, but we are fighting to ensure the safety of our supplies,” he further said, adding China’s EV industry and supply chain for raw materials resulted from years of investments that would cost billions of euros to replicate.

“If there’s a real geopolitical crisis, the damage to battery factories solely powered by products coming from outside will be considerable,” Senard said. “That’s the issue”.