Lotus is preparing to become the first automaker to import Chinese-made electric vehicles into Canada since the implementation of the federal government’s new tariff framework. Lotus CEO Feng Qingfeng confirmed the plan in an interview with Chinese media outlet Economic Observer.
According to Feng Qingfeng, the Geely Group-owned brand has already begun production of export models, with a view to launching as soon as the application guidelines are made official. "The Canadian market represents an opportunity too significant to be ignored," he stressed.
New tariff framework
The shift stems from a trade agreement concluded in January between Canada and China. Mark Carney's government created an exception for the 100-percent surtax imposed in 2024 on Chinese electric vehicles. Under a quota system, Canada will allow in 49,000 vehicles per year, subject to the most-favoured-nation tariff of 6.1 percent.
Import permits have been available since March 1stt, 2026, divided into two periods: 24,500 units until 31 August, followed by another 24,500 until February 2027. At least half of the imported vehicles must be offered at a price below $35,000, though high-end models are not excluded.
Network and planned models
Lotus benefits from a structural advantage, with seven authorized dealerships already in Canada, in Vancouver, Toronto, Oakville, Maple, Calgary and Montreal, as well as in Quebec City. And it has an expansion plan to open a dozen by the end of the year.
The first model planned for the Canadian market is expected to be the Lotus Eletre electric SUV, assembled at the company’s Wuhan plant. Thanks to the new tariff, its retail price could drop by around 50 percent, to around $63,400 CAD. A plug-in hybrid variant dubbed Lotus Eletre For Me, boasting 939 hp and a 70-kWh battery, is also slated to arrive in North America by the end of 2026.
Rebalancing global strategy
Lotus has temporarily suspended its exports to the Middle East due to regional tensions but is counting on the Canadian market to offset this loss. According to Feng Qingfeng, the expansion is part of the manufacturer's "3331" sales distribution plan: 30 percent in China, 30 in Europe, 30 in the U.S. and 10 in other markets.