The 2026 Tesla Model 3 may be one of the first Chinese-made electric vehicles to reintegrate into the Canadian market, but other brands new to Canada are currently preparing to establish themselves in the country.
Heading the list, according to Automotive News: Chery and Zeekr.
Their swinging into action comes as a result of the Canadian government’s finalized agreement with China that sees tariffs on a limited number of Chinese-made electric vehicles reduced from 100 percent to 6.1 percent.
Zeekr is already recruiting employees
Zeekr, a part of the Geely group, deals primarily in luxury vehicles. At the end of last month, the company posted seven job openings to recruit senior executives who will head up its establishment in Canada. The positions are in several departments: sales, product, legislation, marketing, dealer network development and after-sales service. Unsurprisingly, all of the positions are based in Toronto, Ontario.
Chery: First two vehicles appear in Canada
Chery is also working to establish a presence in Canada. That company created a bit of a fuss when it was learned that two of its Jaecoo vehicles had been imported into the country. They are reportedly in Toronto, likely for testing, demonstration or evaluation purposes.
We can expect a stream of developments on this front in the coming weeks, as Chinese electric vehicle manufacturers start to sniff around a Canadian market that is interesting in its own right and just happens to be next to the monstrously large U.S. market. Just saying.