Lotus ships first China-built EVs to Canada under new 6.1% tariff quota
By Eve
Geely-owned Lotus has exported 18 Eletre SUVs from its Wuhan plant to Montreal, becoming the first Chinese manufacturer to use Canada's new tariff-quota framework agreed earlier this year. The deal replaces a 100% tariff with a 6.1% rate on the first 49,000 China-built EVs annually, rising to 70,000 by year five, and has cut the Eletre's Canadian price to 119,900 Canadian dollars, nearly half its previous level. More than 2,900 Chinese-produced EVs, mostly Shanghai-built Teslas, arrived in Canada during May, the first month under the new rules.
Why it matters
The lower tariff opens a significant new market for Chinese EV makers and their supply chains, with BYD and Chery also exploring entry. For charging operators, a potential surge in affordable Chinese EVs could accelerate demand for public infrastructure in Canadian cities and along major routes.
Source
- Original title
- “Lotus Eletre is first China-built EV to be exported to Canada under new 6.1% tariff”
- Published
- 7 July 2026
- Updated
- 18 July 2026
- Also covered by
- Google News
In this story
- Topic
- Electric Vehicles
- Tag
- Lotus
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