- Lobbyists for BYD are hard at work in Ottawa ahead of a prospective Canadian launch, say reports
- The Chinese company is one of the world’s largest manufacturers of electric vehicles
- BYD also just announced a tie-up with Uber, and mentioned Canada as a possible future market
There’s been no shortage of fretting about the spectre of electric vehicles from China entering the North American marketplace. Arguments of dumping, ultra-cheap prices, and the general gutting of vehicle production on this part of the planet are often held up as reasons to keep EVs from that nation out of showrooms in this country. America has already clapped back with big-time tariffs, and Canada is musing on the same.
Well, in the interim, it seems Chinese EV manufacturing giant BYD is apparently closer than it’s ever been to selling its wares in our country, according to talking heads at Automotive News Canada. Reportedly, some public documents were filed with Ottawa just a few days ago, referring to lobbyists acting on behalf of BYD seeking to “advise on matters related to the expected market entry of BYD into Canada for the sale of passenger electric vehicles,” along with the establishment of a new business and dealing with the application of any tariffs on EVs.”
Ni hao, BYD.
Even though those documents do not spell out any timelines about setting up shop, industry figures on the dealer side of things are saying BYD has been quietly meeting with dealer principals in key markets to suss out the logistics of establishing a local presence. Some presume the plan makes Canada a stepping stone for BYD’s entry in the U.S.
It is worth stressing that BYD isn’t exactly a fly-by-night company, nor the purveyor of so-called “vapourware.” In fact, the brand overtook Tesla as the world’s top-selling EV brand right at the tail end of 2023; it’s also elbow-deep in the Mexican market, recently choosing that country as the site of the global reveal of its Shark small pickup truck.
We’ve seen all this before, of course. Anyone alive in the ‘70s and ‘80s knows the precipitous plunge in market share Detroit saw in those decades, almost all of which went to the Japanese. The 1990s and 2000s brought Korean automakers into the mix, further splintering loyalties and divvying up the pie.
Of course, most of those companies now have a strong Canadian or North American presence when it comes to manufacturing and the employment of locals — though there was plenty of handwringing in the moment, not unlike concerns brought today with BYD.
Want more proof the company is knocking on our door? BYD and Uber announced just today that they are tag-teaming to bring upwards of 100,000 new electric vehicles to the ride-hailing platform. Starting in Europe and Latin America, this effort is planned on a global scale, and the companies specifically mentioned the Middle East, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada amongst future markets. Uber and BYD hope to offer Uber drivers discounts on vehicle maintenance, charging, and financing.
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