Donald Trump’s tariff regime on Canada may create the conditions for a major shift in vehicle production. BYD, or Build Your Dream, is China’s largest vehicle manufacturer. Canada, following the lead of Joe Biden, placed a 100% tariff on Chinese EVs to Canada.
But what if BYD decided to build vehicles in Canada?
BYD has planned to enter the Canadian market through a retail partnership with Uber, purchasing 100,000 BYD EVs to be used by Uber in North America, Europe, Latin America, the Middle East, Australia and New Zealand.
What if Canada placed a 100% tariff on Tesla, while dropping its tariffs on BYD, in an agreement with BYD to build its vehicles in Canada? Canadians are seeking an affordable, reliable EV that will enable Canada to meet its environmental targets going forward.
At the same time, if BYD did build a plant in Canada, we have all the necessary resources to make building the vehicles cost-effective for both the Canadian market, but for export to Europe and the global south.
Electric mobility Canada represents 180 members of the auto industry in Canada. It recommends,
“Any import surtax should be applied equally to internal combustion vehicles, as well as electric vehicles assembled in China. There is no environmental value to keeping out Chinese EVs but allowing internal combustion vehicles manufactured in China to replace the EV supply,” reads the EMC submission, exclusively provided to Electrix Autonomy (media outlet).
“Reducing comptetiion not only means fewer models are available, it also removes market incentives for other manufacturers to build cheaper EVs, making it harder for Canadians to unlock the huge fuel and maintenance savings that come with going electric. In short, the federal government should support Canada’s EV industry without shielding it from competition that would benefit consumers.”
BYD could become a major player in Canada’s EV market and become an export manufacturer to Europe and the global south, while reaping the benefits of a trained workforce and a country will all the requisite materials, expertise and components necessary to produce Canadian EV’s for the world.
How about it BYD? Tesla is doing absolutely nothing for Canada.
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