It appears that BYD is preparing to enter the Canadian market, even as Canadian government officials are considering increased tariffs on Chinese-made EVs.
According to public documents obtained by Automotive News Canada, BYD has employed lobbyists to “advise on matters related to the expected market entry of BYD into Canada for the sale of passenger electric vehicles, the establishment of a new business, and the application of tariffs on EVs.” The lobbyists have registered at the provincial, Ontario, and federal levels.
The documents reveal that BYD is working with Crestview Strategies, a Toronto-based public affairs company, for their Canadian lobbying efforts.
Although nothing official has come through from BYD, according to an auto industry source, BYD has already met with Canadian dealers about possibly creating local dealers in the country.
According to AutoForecast Solutions Joe McCabe, BYD is being strategic and may be using Mexico and Canada as a port of entry for the holy grail, the US.
The next strategic step is to introduce passenger cars. The goal of any Chinese-branded vehicle manufacturer entering a new market is to develop market share, which is more important in the short term than profitability.
Although Canada is considering tariffs on Chinese-made EVs, per McCabe, tariffs are a hurdle rather than a barrier.
So, it remains unclear if BYD will, in fact, launch in Canada; we can safely assume that the results of the Canadian tariff discussions will most likely be one of the main deciding factors for the Chinese automaker.
