With an influx of potentially new, cheaper Chinese-made EVs coming into Canada, it appears Canadians are becoming more open to buying them.
According to a Nanos Research Group poll for Bloomberg News, the EV market in Canada could be due for a shakeup in 2026.
- 53% of respondents said that knowing an EV was made in China would not affect their purchase decision
- 28% noted they would be less likely to purchase an EV made in China
- 15% said they would be more likely to buy an EV made in China
These numbers are starkly different from the same poll that was released just two years ago in 2024. In that poll:
- 61% responded they would be less likely to buy an EV made in China
- 25% said a made-in-China EV would not affect their decision
- 9% noted they would be more likely purchase an EV made in China
This poll comes as the EV market in Canada is experiencing a resurgence, driven by new government incentives and a commitment to the ZEV market.
In the past month, the Canadian government have revitalized federal consumer incentives for EVs and PHEVs and promised new emission standards for consumer vehicles moving forward. This is in addition to the work on resetting the trade relationship with the Chinese government, which includes a set quota of Chinese-made EVs over the next five years priced at $35,000 or less with a significantly reduced tariff.
