Several Chinese brands are preparing Canadian launches despite strict limits on vehicle imports and relatively modest sales prospects. But the appeal of the Canadian market has less to do with immediate profits and more to do with what it could teach manufacturers ahead of a potential future move into the United States, a new report says.

 

Canada recently opened the door to a limited number of Chinese-built EVs, allowing imports under a quota system that starts at 49,000 vehicles annually. That’s hardly enough volume to transform anyone’s balance sheet, especially when multiple brands are competing for the same customers.