BYD EVs Set To Arrive In Canada, But There’s A Catch

It appears as if the Chinese EV giant has found a way to bypass the tariffs imposed by the U.S.

BYD EVs will finally operate in Canada despite the U.S. imposing huge tariffs on Chinese electric cars. BYD is the biggest EV maker in the world after Tesla. In fact, in the last quarter of last year, it even overtook Tesla to reach the number one spot. That is a testament to the kind of scale BYD operates on. In recent times, Europe and North America have been imposing exorbitant tariffs on Chinese EVs to ensure that local carmakers don’t get crushed by incredibly affordable EVs from China.

As a matter of fact, the U.S. had announced a whopping 100% tariffs on Chinese EVs. Similarly, the EU imposed 38.1% tariffs on electric cars from China. This is the most direct strategy the West could’ve deployed to prevent the affordable and enticing Chinese EVs from selling in these markets. I must mention here that some top carmakers even opposed this move citing an unhealthy practice that negatively affects global trade. Still, the U.S. seems adamant about this decision.

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BYD EVs Are Coming To Canada

A recent official press release from Uber mentioned that the Chinese EV giant has signed a multi-market agreement with Uber to collaborate on future BYD autonomous-capable vehicles to be deployed on the Uber platform. As a part of this critical collaboration, there will be best-in-class EV pricing and financing for Uber drivers. This partnership will expand to international markets including the Middle East, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. Apart from Canada, it already sells EVs in other countries.

The press release confirms a multi-year strategic partnership to bring 100,000 new BYD electric vehicles onto the Uber platform across these key nations. This report said, “While Uber drivers are going electric five times faster than private car owners, driver surveys show the price of EVs and availability of financing remain the key barriers to switching. In addition to their affordability, BYD vehicles have lower costs of maintenance and repair, and are well suited to rideshare due to the wide range of models, superior battery performance, and excellent build quality.”

Uber is the largest on-demand mobility and delivery platform in the world. This partnership will support drivers to go electric with discounts on charging, vehicle maintenance, insurance, financing and lease offers. These will depend on what works best for a given market.

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Uber and BYD Officials Say

Dara Khosrowshahi, CEO of Uber, remarked, “As the largest global agreement of its kind, we’re thrilled about the benefits this partnership will deliver for drivers, riders, and cities. When an Uber driver makes the switch to an EV, they can deliver up to four times the emissions benefits compared to a regular motorist, simply because they are on the road more. Many riders also tell us their first experience with an EV is on an Uber trip, and we’re excited to help demonstrate the benefits of EVs to more people around the world.”

On the other hand, the Executive Vice President of BYD and CEO of BYD Americas, Stella Li, commented, “We are elated to join forces with a global leader like Uber to not only accelerate the transition to electric vehicles but also to make green transportation accessible and affordable for everyone. This collaboration marks a new era in the electrification of urban mobility, and we look forward to seeing our cutting-edge EVs become a common sight on the streets of cities worldwide.”

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Learn Electric Cars Says

This is a rather creative way to bypass the astronomical tariffs. As commercial vehicles, BYD aims to let the Canadian public experience its products. Apart from that, BYD is already in the Mexican market. Hence, it could even play around with the U.S.-Canada-Mexico trade agreement to make its way into North America. Hence, If BYD is able to secure a production facility in Canada or Mexico, it will be able to export its EVs into the U.S. We shall see how it works its way around these issues. In any case, once BYD EVs start plying on Canadian roads, the public’s feedback will be intriguing. Let us stay close to further developments in this case.