The First Geely Cars In Canada… Sort of
It’s official, the Geely group has entered Canada, and not with its flagship name brand. If you didn’t know, Lotus is now part of the Geely Group, and a batch of the new Lotus Eletre is on its way to Canadian showrooms.
Thanks to an agreement between Canada and China to allow 49,000 China-built EVs to be imported annually at a 6.1% tariff rate. The move comes after the deterioration of U.S.-Canada relations. The Canadian government brokered a deal with China, lowering EV tariffs and allowing a certain number of cars into its borders. In exchange, Canadian products receive a more favorable trade policy.
Right now, the U.S. is still adamant about letting Chinese cars into its borders. Tariffs and bans aren’t making things easy for Chinese automakers to enter; however, they don’t mean that they need to, at least for now. Plus, there are already Chinese-made cars in the United States, such as Buick, which has ties to SAIC Motor.
Lotus Eletre
Made in Geely’s Wuhan Factory for the British sports car brand’s electric crossover, the Lotus Eletre is a Chinese export to the rest of the world. In its country of origin, it retails for about $80,000, putting it squarely in the premium crossover category. It passed Canada’s Motor Vehicle Safety Standards and is now on the way to dealers.
It’s really not a bad way to start. The Lotus Eletre is a five-door all-electric crossover that makes 603 horsepower in its base form and up to 905 horsepower in the top-of-the-line Eletre R variant. The WLTP range of this electric vehicle is about 373 miles, and it has a 350 kW DC charging rate. Pair that with air suspension, rear-wheel steering, and active roll control, and you have yourself a car that I guess still carries Lotus’ ethos. Don’t expect Elise-like lightness, however, because this electric crossover comes in at over 5,655 pounds, unladen.
Currently, the Eletres bound for Canadian dealers are fully electric, but we expect Lotus Canada to launch the new 950-plus-horsepower plug-in hybrid Eletre when it’s available.
Not the Last
While Lotus, under the Geely Group, is the most recent entrant, other Chinese automakers are set to enter Canada in the near future. That includes the likes of BYD and Chery. Both brands also have their own sub-brands that cater to different price points and customer profiles. In fact, in the same report, BYD and Chery units have already been spotted in Canadian parking lots.
The Geely Group itself has other brands that might make the trip across the ocean. The likes of Lynk & Co, Zeekr, Volvo, and the Geely brand itself could go on sale soon. Right now, the Lotus brand’s shipment is considered low-volume, but units will be distributed across the brand’s six-dealer network, with up to six more locations to open in the coming months.
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