This file photo taken on June 6, 2024 shows an electric car at a charging station near the European Commission building in Brussels, Belgium. [Photo/Xinhua]

The European Union had asked for "unprecedented" types, scope and amount of information in its anti-subsidy probe into Chinese electric vehicles (EVs), which far exceeded the necessary request for such investigation, China's commerce ministry said Thursday.

The European Commission (EC), which proposed high provisional additional tariffs in its preliminary ruling on an anti-subsidy probe into Chinese EVs last week, required massive information covering production, planning and technical processes from EV and battery makers, according to He Yadong, a spokesperson for the ministry.

The EC even demanded details on battery composition and formulation, production costs, sales and pricing, customer information and supply chains, threatening that failure to cooperate would result in an unfavorable ruling, He told the press, citing sources from Chinese firms.

He said the Chinese firms were "shocked and disappointed" as they provided the best information possible, but the EC still accused them of failing to fully cooperate and ruled to impose punitively high tariffs on their products.

The EU move lacks factual and legal basis, disregards rules of the World Trade Organization, undermines fair competition as well as the global green transition and cooperation, He said, adding that China is firmly opposed to this and will take all necessary measures to safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of its firms.