There is another option: They can buy emissions credits by “pooling” with companies that make only electric cars and have an abundance of credits. In a twist of fate, that has the European carmakers turning to some of their biggest rivals, including Tesla and Geely of China, which owns Volvo Cars and has a controlling stake in the electric vehicle maker Polestar.

The strategy of buying emissions credits is not new, but it has recently set off alarms in France and Germany, home to Europe’s biggest automakers, because it comes when demand for electric cars is softening, leading to threats of factory closures and the loss of thousands of jobs. Adding to the concerns in Europe is Elon Musk, the chief executive of Tesla, who has criticized E.U. tariffs on electric vehicles made in China and has been accused of interfering in politics in Britain and Germany.

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