Can Chinese EVs be imported into Canada right now?
Yes — within limits. Since March 1, 2026, Chinese-origin EVs enter under an annual quota of 49,000 vehicles at the 6.1% in-quota tariff; the 100% surtax that applied from October 2024 was repealed. [1, 2]
Can I personally import one — as an individual or a small business?
Under the current rules, no. Import permits under the quota are limited to residents of Canada that are original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) of EVs; a non-resident OEM may appoint a Canadian-resident agent. Every shipment needs a shipment-specific permit, because Chinese-origin EVs were added to the Import Control List on March 1, 2026. [3, 4]
What tariff applies today?
The 6.1% Most-Favoured-Nation rate for in-quota vehicles — set when the surtax was repealed on March 1, 2026 under the Canada–China Preliminary Joint Arrangement. [2, 1]
How is the 49,000-vehicle quota handed out?
For the first six months (March 1 – August 31, 2026): first-come, first-served, with 24,500 vehicles available and permits issued on demand to eligible importers. [3]
What changes on September 1, 2026?
A new Notice to Importers is due before the second half of the quota year, and Ottawa has signalled it may switch from first-come-first-served to an allocation system — its public consultation on that closed May 1, 2026, with the longer-term policy expected from June 2026. As of July 15, 2026 that policy had not been published. [3, 5]
Why did Canada change course in 2026?
The tariff cut and quota came out of the January 16, 2026 Canada–China Preliminary Joint Arrangement, in which China eased its tariffs on Canadian farm goods in return — the deal was about more than cars. [1, 6]
How does Canada compare with other countries?
As of July 15, 2026: the U.S. holds a 100% tariff [7]; the EU charges maker-specific anti-subsidy duties of 7.8–35.3% on top of its 10% car tariff, now with a minimum-price escape hatch first used in February 2026 [8, 9]; the UK [10] and Australia [11] apply no special tariff; Brazil phased its tariff up to 35% by July 2026 [12, 13]; Canada sits in between at 6.1% in-quota. [1]
Which Chinese EV makers matter most?
BYD became the world's largest battery-EV seller in 2025, passing Tesla [14]. Geely (3.02M vehicles, brands incl. Zeekr, Volvo & Polestar stakes) [15], SAIC/MG (Europe's biggest Chinese brand) [16], Chery (China's largest vehicle exporter) [17], plus fast-scaling XPeng [18] and NIO [19] and family-SUV maker Li Auto [20] are profiled on the Companies page.
Why should I trust this site?
Every factual claim links to a numbered source, sources are tiered (government and company primary records first), time-sensitive facts carry as-of dates, and the full source list — with computed reliability scores — is public on the Sources page. The rules are spelled out in the methodology.