Canada’s tariff wall on Chinese electric vehicles is deepening dependence on the U.S.
Canada’s tariff wall on Chinese electric vehicles is deepening dependence on the U.S.
I don’t get this argument. Europe makes and exports EVs. Japan and Korea do too. Buy from them if you don’t want something US branded. Build EVs in Canada.
Canada does not have the technical knowledge to build EVs. We make trucks with 1960s technology, or assemble vehicles designed in Japan. There is no point in making EVs in Canada when sales are barely 6%. The problem here is not manufacturers, it's Canadian men who define their masculinity by the size of truck they buy, and then politicians who subsidize fuel for them.
Canada does not have the technical knowledge to build EVs.
It's true that we have expertise in machining. We do have cheaper metal sources, and lithium and rare earth resources that could be used to leverage Chinese automation for batteries, motors, gigapresses, and then use Canadian assembly workers to finish the cars.
The future is about engineering and design, and Canadian sustainability means avoiding anchoring ourselves to dead ender energy and processes.
Ford was saying yesterday "We need to protect the $46B government has invested in EV transition". First, that is an absurd subsidy level, but to your point, it was always meant as a grift, because "real Canadians" don't know how to make EVs.
With Chinese (or any other if they are volunteering) investment, in long term, it is technology transfer to Canadians. We're too stupid to do anything disruptive/progressive is the path to staying stupid and falling behind.
Hah..pissed off 14 microdicks in their F150s.
Kind of a tangent, but everytime I read "need a more nuanced..." In regards to regulation, from an industry person or a politician, I can't help but assume they are just trying to create some kind of loophole to massively exploit something they weren't already allowed to
The threat of Chinese EVs is absolutely necessary to support for any non traitorous Canadian.
No one has firm plans to make EVs in Canada. The threat can at very least get "best offers" of investment and commitments to Canada that might be better for Canadian economy, even if it helps destroy climate. Cannibalism was always going to be preferred over human sustainability.
Canada benefits from investment. If every other company in the world is too afraid of Trump to invest in Canada, then Canada needs China. The end. Obviously, a trade deal would include an investment deal.
Canada is a giant global auto market equal to UK for 7th place. Measured in over priced vehicles too. Significant boost to Canadian standard of living to have access to better value EVs, which are already better value cars than ICE engine alternatives. Quieter, faster, power your home in emergency, urban life quality for non drivers.
When Canada removed DST, not only did we get zero in return from US government, the tech companies that avoided the tax didn't even show any gratitude with data center or other investments in Canada. ONLY flirting with non US colonies can Canada get any investments (or genuine defense commitments) from US and its colonies.
"No one has firm plans to make EVs in Canada" - Not true, Canada had and still has Lion Electric for example. All Canadian schools should get their buses there. It's a great place for adoption to start. They also had/have trucks. Lack of support from Canada is shameful.
There was a big bet/hope on Honda battery facility. AFAIK, its on hold for perpetuity until Trump doesn't scare Honda anymore, which won't happen, because any future president/US politician will like that Honda is a sycophant to it. Lion counts a little bit, busses actually very important emissions sources, but it's relatively small part of Canadian transportation.
Didn't Lion Electric go bankrupt?
Lion Electric is broke, stock is at one cent.
Canada is a large car market. More importantly, vehicles manufactured here will eventually be exported to the US when their policy corrects.
And we will not round up your works in chains like they are doing in the US at the moment (eg. Hyundai).
Canada has a fascist eyeing up on its ass while a pseudo-communist, quasi-state capitalist is giving him the sultry look from across the waters. Not exactly a good position to be in.
We lifted all the tariffs on the US as a "gesture of goodwill" to Big Daddy Trump and yet keep these stupid tariffs on China that are crushing our lumber and agriculture industries into dust out west, in order to protect some token auto industry jobs building gas-guzzling American cars. Feels like we're already the 51st state and Trump is just going to make it official.
Fuck china and their spy hardware on wheels.
Have you looked at the privacy violation that is north american vehicles?
Once cheap imported EVs is sold in Canada, there's no way for Canada to build its own EV industry, which would remove the demand for batteries to be made in Canada
Then it doesn’t make sense as an industry for us.
we are never going to build our own ev industry in time for it make any difference, the only places doing it are incredibly niche small companies making "kei trucks" and buses for public transit, or parts and assembly for foreign companies. and it would take decades for us to achieve a similar quality product that china has right now, if ever, and never at an affordable price in comparison.
the reason everyone isnt driving electric is because we dont have the availability, infrastructure, and pricing that makes it worthwhile.
we can 100% still make batteries and offer alternate solutions with said batteries rather than using them to create our "own ev line" we could make drop in battery/motor conversion kits for instance. for bikes, cars, trucks, buses, whatever you can imagine.
also we could use them to create and maintain municipal public transit, like torontos/vancouvers rental ebikes, except not privately owned. buses are already being converted as well. (looking at you winnipeg)
having locally made batteries will never not be valuable. having additional options and RnD cant hurt.
realistically speaking. theres zero chance we will be able to ever offer a more affordable and similar quality all canadian EV vehicle line up in the next several decades. thats a pipe dream.
but batteries, and the stuff to make them, will only go up in demand. and its possible that domestic batteries some day might be cheaper, if we play our cards right.
We chose to allow the US to dictate our EV production and gave the emerging market to China. We don't get the last 20 years back for a do over. Import Chinese cars, decrease dependency on the US. Return to selling our soybeans and whatever else to China.
The actual reason is that EVs are shit in cold weather. That's not going to change.
Which is why the Chinese government wants to dump it's cars here.
We went through this with Japan in the 80s. Get them to build here.
As for Chinese autos...is the media willfully ignorant at how close the Chinese EV industry is to implosion? BYD is months behind paying suppliers. All this is moot, in a year, most Chinese EV makers will be broke and the EVs will be in the world's landfills within 5 years.
There is no business model. No one can tool up and build EVs in Canada to fight over what MAYBE will be 25% of sales in ten years. Canadians are not buying EVs.
This is the answer. We do not have Canadian car companies.
Why build American cars in Canada? Build European and Asian ones instead.
Trade the tariffs for new factories.
As for Chinese autos…is the media willfully ignorant at how close the Chinese EV industry is to implosion? BYD is months behind paying suppliers. All this is moot, in a year, most Chinese EV makers will be broke and the EVs will be in the world’s landfills within 5 years.
Are we sure about this? because the rumour mill had China imploding because of construction for the past 5 years...
Meanwhile Americans are driving around in BYD's (Chinese cars)
No they are not.
My bad, I thought they were.
Hopped into a Uber drivers car in Miami and remember thinking what type of Tesla is this? Had BYD written on the steering wheel. I guess in hindsight the car was imported privately.
I think you meant Australians
Canada should not be doing business with either country. When we can, we should decouple from both entirely.
No need to make nice with hostile dictatorships. Especially when those hostile dictatorships are constantly attacking our country and citizens on a regular basis.
Buy a bike. Electric cars are not the answer.
Right, a bike. That's going to help me bring all those groceries home, it'll be an okay form of transport when it's raining or -30°C, when I need to go across the city on an errand or appointment, when I need to give someone a lift, when I'm visiting a relative who lives the next city over, and so forth and so on.
Easy solutions to all of these complaints:
Panniers, baskets, racks, cargo bikes if you have very large grocery runs
Wear a rain coat, put fenders on the bike
Wear warm clothes
Go for a bike ride with your friend, or call them a cab if they are not capable of it
Rent a car, take a bus or train, or if you are feeling frisky, do an extra long bike ride there and stay overnight
All your concerns are very easily addressed, but still glosses over the fact that nobody has said that you should sell your car and do everything by bike. Replace the trips you can with bike rides and you will have more joy in your life while also helping the environment.
I have 4 kids. Comments telling me to put their groceries and hockey gear in a basket are hilarious.
This comment went much longer than I expected, and in general I don't think it useful to beat anyone over the head about riding a bike. Doubly so on a post than ostensibly has nothing to do with bike riding.
Not even a joke, someone on a bike was struck by a car and killed just a few blocks away from me this very morning; fourth one in the past few years in this area.
"Buy a bike," is such privileged shit, dude. Most people in Canada do not live in a place where bikes are a viable option. I don't have an extra three hours in my day that also puts me at substantially higher risk of bodily harm. If they're not affluent hobbyist the most common bike rider is someone who cannot afford the expense of a vehicle and are exploited much more heavily by our public transport system.
Car dependency is certainly an existential issue that manifests in Canada's city planning, cost of living, and environmental footprint. What you just said, that people's choices are the problem, is exactly the narrative the state and capitalists would like you to subscribe to. It is a systemic issue remedied only by decades of consistent advocacy and action.
Why don't you take a look at the authorities in Canadian territory that have fought tooth and nail to defend system we have for the better part of the last century?
Infrastructure is not the best for cyclists I agree and I dont blame you for feeling unsafe for riding your bike. Everyone has a different threat model though and most Canadians live in large urban areas with large and expanding bike networks that they can take advantage of. That might not mean commuting to work by bike but maybe trips like going to the grocery store or the dentist can be replaced by bike trips.
I do agree that safe cycling infrastructure is one of the largest barriers to getting people on bikes, but let's not pretend that there is some big modern day conspiracy against bike lanes. It's everyday people who fight tooth and nail against every bike lane that is proposed because they will take away parking or driving lanes. Doug Ford might have a personal vendetta against bike lanes but many many people support this vendetta and support Ford because he is trying to remove them.
How about instead of riding a bike you walk? Or are the evil capitalists attacking sidewalks now too?
It is absolutely your choice on how you decide to live, and you can find an extra three hours in a day to use transit, bike, or walk. Start by cutting out any screen time over an hour in a day and you will likely find an extra 5.
Take care.
It's is bike's fault. Not culture's fault.
The rural parts of Canada would like to have a word. A bike ain't gonna cut it unless your young and single and living in a city.
And even then a lot of cities aren't set up to make bike travel easy.
Years ago, in the before times, the office I worked at was within biking distance of my house and I routinely biked there. It was nice. Then they moved the office downtown and it was either a half-hour commute by car, an hour long commute by bus, and I-don't-know-how-long-by-bike-because-fuck-that-epic-journey commute by bike. I bussed a lot, but that meant I was wasting an hour of my time each day. I wasn't fond of that. I hadn't entirely settled on which approach was better overall before Covid hit and I never went back to that office again by either route.
There happens to be a grocery store within biking distance of my house. I drive a car there anyway, because even living solo I still like to get several weeks worth of groceries when I go shopping. No way am I hauling cargo like that on a bike even if I had a trailer for it.
I had a bike living in the rural parts of Canada, and used it to get everywhere within the 50-100 kms I needed to go.
Both economies are too big for that to be feasible.
yeah right... bikes are awesome in the 6 months winter most of us have to survive yearly in Canada
I agree. They are pretty awesome in the winter, especially with snow tires on.