China’s electric vehicle industry is poised to dominate the globe and that has governments in Europe and North America, including Canada, grappling with what can be seen as competing priorities — protect domestic manufacturing by imposing tariffs on Chinese-made EVs or focus on reducing our reliance on fossil fuels.
Many industry watchers say it will take a lot of political will — and money — for Canada to develop its own industry and spur adoption without relying on Chinese car makers.According to Statistics Canada, zero-emission vehicles accounted for just over 10 per cent of all new motor vehicle registrations in 2023, an increase of 49.4 per cent from 2022.
China's dominance can be attributed to a few factors, including the cheap cost of the vehicles and the fact there's a wide variety to choose from, according to Kolesnikova. Chengyi Lin, professor of strategy at INSEAD Business School, says China has created an ecosystem to foster EV adoption and production.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, left, Honda Toshihiro Mibe, centre, and Ontario Premier Doug Ford, right, walk on the day Honda announces plans to build electric vehicles and their parts in Ontario with financial support from the Canadian and provincial governments, at their automotive assembly plant, in Alliston, Ont., in April.