Close to half of Canadians who want an electric car as their next vehicle are putting off the purchase until Chinese brands reach showrooms, according to a survey from the think tank Clean Energy Canada. The September poll, conducted by Abacus Data, found 48% of respondents want an EV next, and 42% of those buyers are willing to wait until Chinese models go on sale before deciding.
The wait could pay off. Chinese manufacturers have a reputation for undercutting mainstream automakers on price while offering more technology, and Canada opened the door last January by replacing a 100% import tax with a quota system for some Chinese EVs.
The survey doesn't mean those buyers are committed to a Chinese car. Rather, Abacus Data found they don't want to make any decision until they can see what the new entrants offer. That is a meaningful bloc of the market sitting on its hands: several automakers, including Chery, Geely, BYD and Dongfeng, have confirmed plans to enter Canada, and Chinese brands have been building dealer networks since the quota change.
The holdouts have a clear rationale. Chinese EVs sometimes sell for the equivalent of $15,000 or $20,000 in their home market, and part of Ottawa's stated reason for admitting a quota was to inject more affordable options into the Canadian market. The catch is that nobody knows the Canadian prices yet, and they will almost certainly be higher than domestic Chinese price points once shipping, tariffs and dealer margins are layered in.
What it means for the market
The timing matters because Canadian EV uptake has stalled. Only 10.8% of new cars sold in the first half of 2026 were electric, and cheaper Chinese models are the most obvious lever to move that number.
The smarter read for buyers is that the survey describes a pause, not a stampede. If Chinese brands land at prices comparable to established rivals, the survey's own logic suggests many of those waiters will default to familiar names with proven service networks. How much cheaper the Chinese cars actually are will likely decide whether that 42% converts into sales.
What hasn't been announced is the detail buyers actually need: exact launch dates, model lineups and Canadian pricing for Chery, Geely, BYD and Dongfeng. Until those land, the 42% have little to compare against the incumbents, which is precisely the position they say they want to avoid.
