Ballot: 35% of Canadians open to purchasing a Chinese language EV, simply 1 in 5 see them as inferior

Chinese language electrical automobiles are coming to Canada, if solely a restricted quota of them, and so they might be met with a flurry of prepared consumers, based on a brand new survey from Abacus Knowledge and Clear Vitality Canada. 

A couple of-third (35%) of Canadians are open to purchasing a Chinese language EV. And among the many 50% of Canadians who’re open to purchasing an EV usually, 70% categorical various ranges of curiosity in getting a Chinese language one.

Half of adults (50%) below age 30 are open to buying a Chinese language EV, although curiosity declines with age, with 28% of respondents over 60 saying they’d think about one.

Regionally, openness to Chinese language EVs ranges from 45% in Quebec to 24% in Alberta, according to curiosity in EVs usually.

In the meantime, half of Canadians (51%) even have a optimistic or impartial view of the automobiles, with 18% believing Chinese language EVs are possible superior to those bought in Canada at the moment and one other 32% suspecting they’re of an identical high quality. Only one in 5 (21%) assume they’re possible inferior automobiles, whereas 28% stay unsure.

Maybe unsurprisingly, views diverge vastly between these open to purchasing an EV and people uninterested within the know-how: 71% of would-be EV consumers consider they’re possible good automobiles in comparison with simply 32% of non-EV consumers.

QUOTE

“Canadians are being attentive to what’s occurring around the globe. They’re studying tales concerning the recognition and efficiency of Chinese language EVs, and so they know that Canada’s EV market has fallen behind. However greater than something, Canadians need an EV they will afford upfront. Excessive ranges of curiosity in Chinese language EVs possible represents simply that: a need for automobiles which can be inexpensive at the moment, as many cash-strapped Canadians merely can’t wait 5 years to interrupt even on a automotive that finally saves them cash.

“Whereas Canada’s restricted quota may imply extra prepared consumers than automobiles out there, the federal authorities can leverage the China cope with complementary measures aimed toward bringing in additional inexpensive EVs from different carmakers, comparable to by aligning our automotive security requirements with Europe, reintroducing buy incentives, and sustaining laws that compel automakers to satisfy the market with inexpensive EVs.”

—Trevor Melanson, director of insights and communications, Clear Vitality Canada

The survey was carried out with 2,498 Canadians from January 22 to 27, 2026. A random pattern of panelists have been invited to finish the survey from a set of associate panels based mostly on the Lucid trade platform. These companions are sometimes double opt-in survey panels, blended to handle out potential skews within the information from a single supply. The margin of error for a comparable probability-based random pattern of the identical dimension is +/- 1.96%, 19 instances out of 20. The info have been weighted based on census information to make sure that the pattern matched Canada’s inhabitants based on age, gender, and area. Totals could not add as much as 100 as a result of rounding.