Analysis: The aftermarket will feel the impact of Chinese EVs

As Canada opens the door to Chinese EVs, let’s break down the details and what it means for auto care professionals

Canada has officially reopened its doors to Chinese electric vehicles. Not cautiously. Not quietly. But with the kind of policy whiplash that leaves industry insiders wondering whether anyone is actually steering the wheel.

Under a new trade framework tied to Prime Minister Mark Carney’s recent China visit, Canada will allow Chinese-built EVs per year to enter the country at a sharply reduced tariff. That’s a dramatic reversal from the 100 per cent tariff imposed just one year earlier.

If this feels confusing, it should. Only recently, Canada followed the U.S. in banning Huawei from national telecom infrastructure over security concerns. Now, we’re welcoming fully connected, software-defined vehicles — rolling data centers — built by companies from the same ecosystem.  

The numbers

Let’s ground this discussion in facts and look at what the data says.

Canada will allow up to 49,000 Chinese EVs annually at a tariff of roughly 6.1 per cent, down from 100 per cent. This represents less than 3 per cent of Canada’s total annual new-vehicle sales, by design.

On price, government briefings indicate that more than half of these vehicles are expected to land at import prices below $35,000 (all figures in CAD). That’s not a promise of retail pricing — but it’s a clear signal.

In the global context, Chinese EV manufacturers are not fringe players. BYD has already overtaken Tesla in global EV sales, driven by scale, vertical integration and aggressive pricing. In other markets, entry-level EVs sell for the equivalent of $20,00-$25,000, while well-equipped models sit comfortably in the $30,000–$35,000 range. That pricing delta matters, especially in a country where vehicle affordability has become a structural problem.

Price shock

In December 2025, I spent time walking Automechanika Shanghai. The takeaway was blunt: The price disparity between China and North America is staggering. In China, $35,000 gets you a well-designed, feature-rich EV with modern interiors, strong build quality and advanced electronics.

Compare that to what the same money buys here: Often a base-trim EV with fewer features and higher service costs. Aesthetically and materially, some of these vehicles make legacy EV offerings feel minimalist.

Think less “premium simplicity” and more “basic by default.”

Protectionism, meet reality

Ontario Premier Doug Ford was quick to say he doesn’t want “cheap Chinese parts” flooding the province. Here’s the uncomfortable truth: Many of the most advanced automotive electronics already come from China. Power ICs, displays, camera modules, infotainment hardware; China is deeply embedded in the global automotive supply chain.

We’ve seen this movie before too; Bombardier’s C-Series aircraft was technically impressive but commercially unsupported. Quite frankly, no one wanted to buy it until the government stepped in with heavy subsidies.

Another example: Cannabis legalization promised economic windfalls that never materialized at forecasted levels. In both cases, government intervention distorted markets rather than strengthening them. Governments have proven time and time again to be inaccurate in forecasting.

The surveillance argument (and why it’s selective)

Critics argue Chinese EVs pose a surveillance risk. That argument deserves scrutiny but also consistency.

Modern vehicles from all OEMs collect vast amounts of data through software-over-the-air systems. Until legislation like PIPEDA in Canada or GDPR in Europe, data collection was largely unchecked. Even now, default settings typically favour data capture unless consumers opt out. This raises a fair question: Will Chinese OEMs comply with Canadian privacy law? Possibly. Will enforcement be airtight? Unknown.

But let’s not pretend surveillance is new or exclusive to China. Edward Snowden exposed U.S. government surveillance of its own citizens years ago. The difference wasn’t behaviour; it was a disclosure — the U.S. government only stopped the program because they got caught.

Naivety is not a security strategy.

The aftermarket

Let’s look at what actually matters to this industry, starting with right to repair.

For years, the aftermarket has fought for diagnostic access while OEMs cite cybersecurity and safety as reasons to restrict it. The question now becomes: Will Chinese EV manufacturers follow the same closed model or open access more willingly to gain market entry? 

No commitments have been made. But the precedent matters.

There’s ‘service without a net.’ Consider VinFast in Canada. Vehicles are on the road, yet the service network relies heavily on third-party providers. That creates a gap between warranty responsibility and technical capability. EV repairs are not generic work. High-voltage systems, battery diagnostics and software faults require training, tooling and repetition.

Without volume, specialization struggles to exist.

The aftermarket can look to Europe for a playbook. There, Chinese brands like ZEEKR partner with third-party service networks such as LKQ Fource and MEKO. It works … to a point.

But excellence in service only arrives when the vehicle population justifies investment. Canada hasn’t even announced a service strategy yet, or worse, perhaps they have no plans to do so.

And the inventory risk is real. At 49,000 units per year, aftermarket manufacturers face a dilemma. Stock parts early and risk obsolescence or wait and risk being unprepared. With no sales history, SKU selection becomes a gamble.

This isn’t fearmongering. It’s basic inventory economics.

The long view: Why this still matters

The quota is intentionally limited. It won’t collapse the market overnight. But it will send a message. Competition pressures domestic OEMs to:

• Revisit EV pricing
• Improve parts availability
• Rethink service costs
• Take Right to Repair more seriously

Even if you never own a Chinese EV, the ripple effects will touch pricing, policy and aftermarket strategy. Consumer choice isn’t chaos. It’s leverage. And whether the industry likes it or not, the circus has already started.

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Derek Suen, MBA, is an automotive aftermarket professional with more than 15 years of experience, specializing in product research for high-demand parts. With a background in both manufacturing and distribution, he brings deep insight into customer needs across North American and European markets.

Image credit: Depositphotos.com