Feb. 17, 2026, 5:30 a.m. ET
- Recent polling shows a majority of Canadians are open to buying Chinese-made electric vehicles, while most Americans are not.
- Canada has a new trade deal allowing up to 49,000 Chinese EVs into its market with a 6.1% tariff.
- Chinese EV manufacturer BYD does not sell its electric cars in the United States due to high tariffs and restrictive federal rules.
A majority of Canadians would be open to buying an electric car made in China, but Americans remain much more skeptical of cars made in the country, according to recent polling.
Fifty-three percent of Canadians said knowing an EV was made in China would have no effect on their car purchasing decision, according to a new poll by Nanos Research Group for Bloomberg News. The survey included 1,009 Canadians.
The number sharply contrasts a Jan. 12 poll conducted by EVs for All America, an advocacy group that works with car manufacturers to push U.S. and state lawmakers to adopt EV-friendly policies. It showed 54% of 600 potential EV buyers in the United States said they had an unfavorable opinion of Chinese car brands.
The findings come after China and Canada announced a recent deal to allow thousands of the Chinese-made EVs into the North American country. Under the agreement, Canada will allow up to 49,000 Chinese electric vehicles into its market, with the so-called «most-favored-nation» tariff rate of 6.1%.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney‘s office said the amount of Chinese EVs it will allow to be sold in Canada «corresponds to volumes in the year prior to recent trade frictions on these imports (2023-2024), representing less than 3% of the Canadian market for new vehicles sold in Canada.»
Chinese EV manufacturer BYD, now the world’s top electric vehicle maker, wants to sell 1.3 million EVs outside of China, Li Yunfei, general manager of BYD’s brand and public relations division, said in a recent press briefing in Shanghai, according to multiple media reports.
What does BYD’s international sales plan mean for US EV buyers?
BYD’s electric cars are not sold in the United States because of factors such as high tariffs that are currently in place, and federal rules regarding connected car technology and vehicle safety standards that the company sees as limiting.
BYD currently sells commercial vehicles in the United States, but the company’s U.S.-branch CEO has said in interviews that she thinks the American market is «too restrictive.»
The Trump administration has imposed a 100% tariff on all Chinese imports, including cars, making it fiscally prohibitive for BYD to sell cars in America.
Can US drivers buy BYD EVs in Canada?
It would also be difficult for U.S. drivers to buy the cars in Canada or Mexico and drive them into the country because of federal laws regarding imported vehicles. The rules require them to go through a lengthy customs process to prove they comply with existing federal motor vehicle safety laws.
People who import non-conforming foreign cars also must post bond and comply with other Transportation Department terms and conditions.
How many cars did BYD sell in 2025?
BYD sold 4,602,436 passenger and commercial vehicles in 2025, according to the company’s December sales report.
The sales figure included 2,256,714 battery electric cars, 2,288,709 plug-in hybrids and 57,013 commercial vehicles.
What does the Trump administration have to say about it?
The Trump administration has criticized Canadian officials for striking a trade deal with China.
In a Jan. 24 post on Truth Social, Trump said «if Governor Carney thinks he is going to make Canada a ‘Drop Off Port’ for China to send goods and products into the United States, he is sorely mistaken.»
«China will eat Canada alive, completely devour it, including the destruction of their businesses, social fabric, and general way of life,» Trump wrote.
U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said also said in a Jan. 22 appearance at the Washington Auto Show that he thinks Canadian officials will regret the deal to allow Chinese EVs into its market.
«I think you’ll see the world be gouged by China and they’ll control all the manufacturing, and we can’t let that happen,» Duffy said. «I want to keep the development and the manufacturing and the American spirit of these vehicles in our country.»
