Lotus Photo: VCG

Chinese automaker Lotus' first batch of 18 Eletre electric vehicles (EVs) arrived in Canada, the first Chinese auto brand to complete certification and shipped to Canada since it cut tariffs on Chinese-made EVs on March 1, 2026, the company told the Global Times on Tuesday. The EVs were shipped from Shanghai on May 6. 

Feng Qingfeng, CEO of Lotus Group, said in a statement that "Chinese manufacturing is upgrading from a cost advantage to an advantage in quality and consistency." As export destinations expand from emerging markets to Western markets such as Europe and North America, this sets "higher requirements for automakers while opens up greater value," he said.

The entry of the Chinese EVs into the Canadian market came after local adjustments to tariffs on China-made EVs.

In 2024, Canada announced 100-percent surtax on Chinese-made EVs, which effectively cut off high-quality and inexpensive Chinese EVs from Canadian consumers.

In January 2026, a Canadian government statement noted that it will allow an annual quota of 49,000 Chinese EVs into Canada at the most-favored-nation tariff rate of 6.1 percent, exempting them from the 100-percent surtax, according to the Xinhua News Agency.

Canadian newspaper the Globe and Mail on May 5 reported that Lotus Eletres are part of the 49,000 quota, being the first new Chinese-made EVs to arrive in Canada under the new lower-tariff arrangement.

Lotus has established a mature sales and service network in Canada, with six authorized dealers, scattered in Toronto, Vancouver and other cities, and Lotus plans to expand to 12 dealers within the year, the automaker said.

As the China-Canada trade environment continues to improve, Lotus will accelerate the entry of more models into Canada, providing Canadian customers with localized after-sales support, Lotus said. 

Other Chinese EV brands are entering Canada too. Chinese Ambassador to Canada Wang Di said in an interview with the Reuters that other Chinese brands, such as Chery and BYD, are coordinating with Canadian government agencies before they can ship their cars to Canada. Recently, BYD Executive Vice President Stella Li told Reuters the company would likely start sales in Canada in 2027.

Global Times