Americans will soon catch a glimpse of something North American politicians once tried to keep far away: cheap Chinese electric vehicles.
As Canada begins importing the EVs, U.S. residents in border cities like Detroit and Buffalo, New York, may see their northern neighbors at the wheel. Or American tourists visiting Canada may experience brands like Xiaomi, Leapmotor and BYD when taking a ride-share.
It’s a situation that the U.S. and Canada sought to avoid for years, worried that the introduction of China’s low-cost, high-tech EVs would undermine domestic automakers and lead to Chinese surveillance. But President Donald Trump’s 25 percent tariff on Canadian autos and auto parts has scrambled the North American auto market.
This is the supposedly superior Chinese self-driving technology of the BYD Han. 🤡
The car has been going round and round at the airport for hundreds of laps nonstop. 😅😂
The driver keeps pressing the brakes, but nothing happens. 😱 https://t.co/mkiAAPQSD6 pic.twitter.com/8Ogp55Xp9E
— Pseudo Prophet (@Pseudo_Prophet_) March 17, 2026
