France, Greece, Italy and Poland will vote on Friday for tariffs of up to 45% on imports of electric vehicles (EVs) made in China, sources said, enough to get the European Union (EU) proposal passed in a move likely to increase trade tensions with Beijing.

The European Commission, which is conducting an anti-subsidy investigation into EVs made in China, has sent its proposal for final tariffs to the EU's 27 member states ahead of a vote expected on Friday.

Under EU rules, the commission can impose final or "definitive" tariffs for the next five years unless a qualified majority of 15 EU countries representing 65% of the EU's population votes against the plan.

France, Greece, Italy and Poland will vote in favour, officials and sources of those countries said, in line with their positions in an earlier vote in July, although Greece did not participate then. Together, they represent 39% of the EU population.

The commission can also submit a new, amended proposal if it chooses.

Commission president Ursula von der Leyen, who launched the investigation a year ago, said EU industry needed to protect itself against a potential flood of cheap Chinese EV imports benefiting from state subsidies.

The EU auto industry has generally opposed tariffs, notably German carmakers, for which almost a third of sales are from China.

French President Emmanuel Macron said that he supports tariffs, and that the level of Chinese subsidies was "unbearable".

"Broadly, we have to protect the level playing field in all the different sectors of our industry," he said in a speech in Berlin.