Chery eyes expansion into the Canadian EV market

Chery Automobile appears to be preparing to sell electric vehicles in Canada after Ottawa agreed to cut tariffs on a limited number of Chinese-made EVs; recruiters say Chery is hiring for roles and plans a Toronto-area office, while federal officials have provided few details.

Chinese carmaker Chery is reportedly laying groundwork to sell electric vehicles in Canada after a recent federal agreement to lower tariffs on some Chinese-made EVs. Recruiters reached out to experienced Canadian auto-industry figures, naming Chery and its subbrands Omoda and Jaecoo and describing hiring for roles to build a sales operation and a Toronto-area office. Federal ministers met Chinese automakers during a recent trip, and Ottawa announced a tariff reduction and a capped quota for Chinese EVs as part of a trade arrangement. Several details about how the quota will be divided and which companies will participate remain undisclosed. What is known: - Recruiters contacted industry professionals on LinkedIn, saying they were hiring on behalf of Chery and mentioning subbrands Omoda and Jaecoo. - Messages seen by the Globe and Mail indicate hires would cover roles needed to build a Canadian sales operation and that Chery would open a Toronto-area office. - Industry sources compared Chery’s approach to VinFast’s 2022 Canadian build-out, which involved recruiting from established firms. - Officials said Prime Minister Mark Carney announced a tariff cut on Jan. 16, reducing tariffs on Chinese electric cars to 6.1% from 100% and allowing 49,000 Chinese EVs annually, rising to 70,000 in five years. - The Prime Minister’s office released a statement saying the agreement is expected to lead to new Chinese joint-venture investment in Canada and support EV supply-chain build-out, while Industry Minister Mélanie Joly’s office said she is advancing discussions with global companies. - Trade officials and the federal government have not provided details on quota allocation, which firms will take part, or whether commitments to open joint ventures were made. Summary: Chery is positioning itself to enter the Canadian market following Ottawa’s decision to lower tariffs and set an annual quota for Chinese-made EVs; recruiters report hiring and a planned Toronto-area presence. Key questions about which automakers will use the quota and how it will be allocated remain undetermined at this time.