Tesla and Volvo are poised to be early winners of Canada’s move to allow thousands of made-in-China EVs to enter the country at low tariff rates, analysts said.
Those companies already hold North American certification, but a host of Chinese firms will look to follow closely.
The rush for the Canadian market follows a landmark trade deal between Ottawa and Beijing that rankled Canadian auto executives.
Chinese automakers are also eyeing a win in Europe, as Brussels considers replacing its EV tariffs with a minimum price system.
Some analysts predict 2026 could be a watershed year for China’s EV makers, reflecting how Beijing’s “centralized industrial policy… has upended traditional notions about how innovation works,” Semafor’s Andy Browne wrote.