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Let Chinese electric cars compete / Research note

Let buyers choose safe electric cars.

Price lists abroad show more choices to study. Canada should test safe cars by clear rules, then let buyers choose. A foreign price alone cannot tell us the Canadian cost.

Updated:

Dated price records, not current matched quotes. The cost exercises leave out major costs. They cannot show a Canadian sale price, savings or why a brand is absent.

The choice we want

Buyers should be able to choose safe cars on price, range, quality and service. We oppose a tariff or quota that shields a seller from a safe rival. Keep the same clear safety rules for all cars.

What the prices show

An October 2026 report lists Canada's Model 3 Premium RWD at C$39,490. A May report lists the US trim with that name at US$42,490. At our October exchange rate, the older US price is about C$59,898.

Dates, trims, taxes and fees differ. These records do not prove a current price gap for the same car, or show how much of a gap comes from trade rules.

A cost exercise is not a car quote

An MG4 price list in China starts at ¥65,800, about C$13,884 at our exchange rate. Adding an assumed 6.1% duty and C$1,200 to C$3,500 in freight gives about C$15,931 to C$18,231. That is only a cost exercise.

No Canadian quote. It leaves out approval for sale, port and broker fees, changes to the car, warranty, sales tax and seller margin. The freight range is an assumption from other routes. It cannot establish a sale price or savings.

Read the quota in vehicles

The report of October 9, 2026 shows 15,931 vehicles against a first-year quota of 49,000: about 32.5%. The affordable-car reserve is due to start in year two, not year one.

Vehicles, not permits: one permit can cover more than one car. The first-year notices use first come, first served, with scope to set aside space for makers or new entrants. This snapshot does not show why a brand is absent.

A corrected comparison

Our October exchange rate puts the older US Model 3 Performance price range at about C$76,815 to C$77,519. The Canadian record is C$74,990, which is lower. These prices do not verify where that car was built or the tax it bore.

The price records

Dated price records reviewed on 20 October 2026. Source dates appear beside each link. Taxes and fees differ. These are not current matched quotes.

Reviewed:

Price records from Canada and the United States

Canada

Tesla Model Y Premium All-Wheel Drive (542 km)

C$64,990

List price, before freight, fees and taxes.

A dated list price. It is not a current quote for the same car. It does not prove a tariff effect.

Single dated source; the US comparator page is undated.

United States

Tesla Model Y Premium AWD

US$48,990 (≈ C$69,061)

List price before destination and taxes.

A dated list price. It is not a current quote for the same car. It does not prove a tariff effect.

Undated source page; treat as indicative.

Canada

Hyundai Ioniq 5 Preferred RWD Long Range (2026 model year, 84 kWh)

C$55,499

List price, before freight, fees and taxes.

A dated list price. It is not a current quote for the same car. It does not prove a tariff effect.

Hyundai Canada's own list page was not captured; two other sources agree.

Canada

Hyundai Ioniq 5 Preferred AWD (2027 model year, 84 kWh)

C$57,499

List price, before freight and taxes.

A dated list price. It is not a current quote for the same car. It does not prove a tariff effect.

The source page is undated; the 2026 rear-wheel base trim is gone in Canada.

United States

Hyundai Ioniq 5 SE RWD (2026, 84 kWh long range)

US$37,500 (≈ C$52,864)

List price before freight and taxes.

A dated list price. It is not a current quote for the same car. It does not prove a tariff effect.

October 2025 press-release pricing; no October 2026 re-check.

United States

Hyundai Ioniq 5 SE RWD Standard Range (2026, 63 kWh)

US$35,000 (≈ C$49,340)

List price before freight and taxes.

A dated list price. It is not a current quote for the same car. It does not prove a tariff effect.

A trim-availability gap, not a same-trim price gap.

United States

Hyundai Ioniq 5 SE AWD (2026, 84 kWh)

US$41,000 (≈ C$57,798)

List price before freight and taxes.

A dated list price. It is not a current quote for the same car. It does not prove a tariff effect.

Model-year mismatch: US 2026 versus Canada 2027.

Canada

Kia EV6 Light RWD (2025 model year, 63 kWh)

C$48,995

List price, before freight and taxes.

A dated list price. It is not a current quote for the same car. It does not prove a tariff effect.

A 2025 model-year page; no 2026 Canadian price list was found.

Canada

Kia EV6 2026 base RWD (84 kWh)

C$56,495

Starting list price before incentives; freight extra.

A dated list price. It is not a current quote for the same car. It does not prove a tariff effect.

This price comes from a car-price site. We did not capture Kia Canada's own 2026 list.

United States

Kia EV6 Light Standard Range RWD (2026, 63 kWh)

US$37,900 (≈ C$53,428)

List price before destination and taxes.

A dated list price. It is not a current quote for the same car. It does not prove a tariff effect.

US figure from May 2026 reporting; no October re-check.

United States

Kia EV6 Light Long Range RWD (2026, 84 kWh)

US$41,200 (≈ C$58,080)

List price before destination and taxes.

A dated list price. It is not a current quote for the same car. It does not prove a tariff effect.

US figure from May 2026 reporting.

Canada

Chevrolet Equinox EV LT FWD (2026; Canadian LT ≈ US 2LT content)

C$46,199

List price, before freight and taxes.

A dated list price. It is not a current quote for the same car. It does not prove a tariff effect.

The Canadian-to-US trim mapping follows press descriptions, not GM.

Foreign prices and a partial cost exercise

China

BYD Dolphin base (current lineup)

¥99,800 (≈ C$21,058)

Chinese list price, tax included.

A price in this market. Taxes and fees are shown above. It is not a Canadian quote. Cars may have different features.

A December 2025 figure; a new generation is testing in China.

Germany

BYD Dolphin Comfort

€33,990 (≈ C$53,738)

List price including 19% VAT, before delivery.

A price in this market. Taxes and fees are shown above. It is not a Canadian quote. Cars may have different features.

Tax included; the pre-tax equivalent is about €28,563.

Canada (hypothetical)

BYD Dolphin base — ESTIMATE ONLY

C$23,542–25,842 (partial exercise)

Cost exercise only. We convert the Chinese list price. We add an assumed 6.1% duty and C$1,200 to C$3,500 in freight.

Leaves out approval for sale, changes to the car, port and broker fees, warranty, sales tax and seller margin.

Cost exercise only. Not a Canadian quote or sale price.

The freight range comes from other routes. It is not a quote for this trip. The duty base is assumed too. This gives no price bound, sale price or saving.

Germany

BYD Atto 3 Evo Design

€44,990 (≈ C$71,129)

List price including 19% VAT, before delivery.

A price in this market. Taxes and fees are shown above. It is not a Canadian quote. Cars may have different features.

Tax included.

Canada (hypothetical)

BYD Atto 3 (Yuan Plus gen 3) base — ESTIMATE ONLY

C$28,042–30,342 (partial exercise)

Cost exercise only. We convert the Chinese list price. We add an assumed 6.1% duty and C$1,200 to C$3,500 in freight.

Leaves out approval for sale, changes to the car, port and broker fees, warranty, sales tax and seller margin.

Cost exercise only. Not a Canadian quote or sale price.

The freight range comes from other routes. It is not a quote for this trip. The duty base is assumed too. This gives no price bound, sale price or saving.

China

MG4 (new generation, sold abroad as MG4 EV Urban) full range

¥65,800–99,800 (≈ C$13,884–21,058)

Chinese list price range.

A price in this market. Taxes and fees are shown above. It is not a Canadian quote. Cars may have different features.

An aggregator database; MG's own Chinese configurator was not captured.

Germany

MG4 MG4 EV Urban (from) / MG4 facelift 64 kWh (from)

€24,990–42,990 (≈ C$39,509–67,967)

List price including 19% VAT.

A price in this market. Taxes and fees are shown above. It is not a Canadian quote. Cars may have different features.

One source page blocked archiving; another carries the same €24,990 figure.

Canada (hypothetical)

MG4 (new generation) base — ESTIMATE ONLY

C$15,931–18,231 (partial exercise)

Cost exercise only. We convert the Chinese list price. We add an assumed 6.1% duty and C$1,200 to C$3,500 in freight.

Leaves out approval for sale, changes to the car, port and broker fees, warranty, sales tax and seller margin.

Cost exercise only. Not a Canadian quote or sale price.

The freight range comes from other routes. It is not a quote for this trip. The duty base is assumed too. This gives no price bound, sale price or saving.

Australia

BYD Seal Dynamic / Premium / Performance

A$46,990–61,990 (≈ C$46,248–61,011)

Maker list prices, before on-road costs.

A price in this market. Taxes and fees are shown above. It is not a Canadian quote. Cars may have different features.

A showroom page snapshot; trim names may have changed since September.

Germany

BYD Seal Comfort

€47,990 (≈ C$75,872)

List price including 19% VAT, before delivery.

A price in this market. Taxes and fees are shown above. It is not a Canadian quote. Cars may have different features.

Tax included.

Canada (hypothetical)

BYD Seal base — ESTIMATE ONLY

C$40,557–42,857 (partial exercise)

Cost exercise only. We convert the Chinese list price. We add an assumed 6.1% duty and C$1,200 to C$3,500 in freight.

Leaves out approval for sale, changes to the car, port and broker fees, warranty, sales tax and seller margin.

Cost exercise only. Not a Canadian quote or sale price.

The freight range comes from other routes. It is not a quote for this trip. The duty base is assumed too. This gives no price bound, sale price or saving.

The quota rules

Canada (import control)

China-origin EV import quota

49,000 vehicles per year

Quota rules, year one: 1 March 2026 to 28 February 2027.

First come, first served, with scope to set aside space for makers or new entrants. Only eligible makers or their agents may apply.

The notices do not say which makers hold permits.

Canada (import control)

China EV quota utilization, quota year 1

15,931 vehicles of 49,000 quota units (32.5%)

Vehicle quota use in the report of 9 October 2026.

One permit can cover several cars. This is not a count of permits.

A dated quota report. It does not give a brand breakdown or establish why a brand is absent.

Canada (import control)

Affordable-EV (≤$35,000 FOB) quota reserve

Starts in year two

Gazette commitment: a growing quota reserve for cars under $35,000.

The Gazette sets a 10% reserve in year two, rising to 50% in year five. No reserve is promised for year one.

Year-one permit notices do not settle the later-year rules. Check the next notices before year two starts.

What we could not verify

Current US list prices for some Tesla trims (their site blocks our checks; dated reports were used). Hyundai and Kia's own Canadian list pages. The 2026 BYD Seal price in China. Which makers hold import permits. Any Canadian transaction prices.

Conversions use the Bank of Canada daily rates of 19 October 2026: US$1 = C$1.4097; ¥1 = C$0.2110; €1 = C$1.5810; A$1 = C$0.9842.

Sources

Bank of Canada: Bank of Canada daily exchange rates. Source terms ↗

WAKE UP CANADA

Share the case for change

Help more people see the facts and the plan.

Let buyers choose safe electric cars.

Price lists abroad show more choices to study. Canada should test safe cars by clear rules, then let buyers choose. A foreign price alone cannot tell us the Canadian cost.

Keep the source, date and notes with the image.

Checked:

What this does not show: Dated price records, not current matched quotes. The cost exercises leave out major costs. They cannot show a Canadian sale price, savings or why a brand is absent.

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Bank of Canada: Bank of Canada daily exchange rates. Source terms ↗

Sources and notes

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