Importers of HS 8502.20 (generating sets with spark-ignition internal combustion pist) from Vietnam actually paid 12.3% on the taxed portion of the value in 2026-06 — 12.3% across everything shipped, taxed or not. Measured from official duty receipts, not the rulebook: the statutory MFN base rate on this code is 2%. Over the window the rate on the taxed portion moved 2% → 12.3%, with the largest single step +7.3pp in 2025-09. Measured from official US duty receipts · as-of 2026-06 · confidence: measured, not modelled. The HTS base rate is 2% — importers actually paid 12.3%, so the trade-war overlay added 10.3 pts, measured at the border (not a summed rulebook estimate). Reproduce exactly: tariff_story(hs: "8502.20", origin: "Vietnam") · see it at trimtabist.com/tariffs
HS 8502.20. The schedule base rate is 2%; importers from Vietnam actually paid 12.3% on the dutiable value in 2026-06 — the trade-war overlay added 10.3 points, measured at the border. Measured, not modelled.
Over the window the collected rate moved 2% (2023-07) → 12.3% (2026-06), largest single step +7.3pp in 2025-09.
Vietnam's lower duty (12.3% vs 45.7%) lets it price up to 29.7% above China at the factory and still match on duty-inclusive customs cost. But on the LATEST measured prices, Vietnam actually lands cheaper — $6.82/kg vs $7.5/kg (duty in, freight out).
2 Chapter-99 measures name Vietnam; scope mapping is partial (several annexes are PDFs) — absence never means exemption. They do not sum, and some are product-specific — the collected rate above is the composed truth.
All goods from Vietnam · the whole tariff ledger · reproduce: tariff_story(hs: "8502.20", origin: "Vietnam") via /connect. Not customs or legal advice.