Geely’s Lotus becomes first Chinese-built EV officially exported to Canada
Words: Richard Edwards
Geely has become the first Chinese automaker to formally export electric vehicles to Canada under the country’s new reduced-tariff framework, shipping 18 Lotus Eletre crossovers from its Wuhan factory.
The shipment is part of Canada’s agreement to allow 49,000 Chinese-built EVs into the country this year at a 6.1 per cent tariff rate, significantly lower than the near-prohibitive duties previously in place.
However, Geely is not the first Chinese automaker to land vehicles in the country. Chery has previously had Omoda and Jaecoo test units in Canada, around 150 in the country but not intended for ‘immediate retail sale’, while GWM has also brought vehicles into the market for media assessment purposes.
Lotus CEO Feng Qingfeng says the Canadian market is “too precious to miss,” with the brand currently operating half a dozen dealerships in the country and planning to double that number within the year. Qingfeng tells Car News China the brand has temporarily suspended exports to the Middle East due to the ongoing conflict in the region, and that Canadian growth may offset some of that volume.
The Eletre carries a base price of C$119,900 (approximately NZ$149,000) with the reduced tariff in place, down from closer to C$300,000 (NZ$372,000) under the previous duty structure. For context, the Eletre S is priced from NZ$199,900 in New Zealand, with the R from NZ$239,900. The dual-motor crossover produces 450 kW (600 hp) and claims a driving range of approximately 460 km.
The model does not qualify for the Canadian government’s new EVAP electric vehicle rebate, which excludes all China-built vehicles.
Meanwhile, Tesla has begun assigning China-origin VINs, identifiable by a leading ‘L’, to some Canadian-market Model 3 orders, with the Shanghai-built variant carrying a starting price of C$39,490 (NZ$49,000).
