Nissan is keeping the door open to the idea of selling Chinese-built electric vehicles in Canada.
This bit of news came from Christian Meunier, Nissan's President for the Americas, interviewed by Automotive News Canada.
Indeed, the Japanese automaker could be tempted to leverage its joint venture with Dongfeng Motor Group Co. In certain markets, including Mexico, Brazil and Canada, buyers are developing an appetite for affordable electric vehicles. By sourcing from China, Nissan could be in a position to offer a lineup of lower-priced EVs.
That Nissan is exploring this possibility is no accident. To improve the affordability of electric vehicles, the Canadian government recently slashed the surtax imposed on some electric vehicles from 100 percent to just 6.1 percent.
For the moment, it’s known which models Nissan is considering bringing to Canada. The automaker is also avoiding committing to a timeline either. All it’s willing to say at this point is that it’s currently studying the possibility.
Nissan wouldn’t be the first established automaker in Canada to offer Chinese-built electric vehicles. Tesla currently markets Chinese-built versions of the Model 3, and Lotus is now bringing in the Eletre under the lower-tariff deal.
LEAF and Ariya: Two EVs currently offered by Nissan
For the 2026 model-year, Nissan markets two electric vehicles in Canada: the Ariya and the LEAF. Their MSRPs are $52,898 and $44,998, respectively. According to data compiled by AutoMédia for the first quarter of 2026, the Nissan LEAF was the best-selling electric car in the province of Quebec.