A Dongfeng Nammi 01 on display at the Beijing Auto Show in April 2026. Credit: CnEVPost
- Dongfeng is certifying vehicles with Canadian regulators, and its distributor said the first 2 models may be launched next year.
- Dongfeng will display models including the Vigo and Nammi Box 01 in Montreal this week, while manufacturing in Canada could be part of its longer-term plan.
Dongfeng Motor is preparing to enter the Canadian market, becoming the latest Chinese automaker seeking to tap the country’s low-tariff quota for EVs.
The Chinese state-owned automaker will display some of its EV models at an event in Montreal this week. Dongfeng is currently certifying its vehicles with Canadian regulators so it can sell them to Canadian consumers, according to a Bloomberg report on Monday.
“We are working on that, and maybe next year we will be ready to launch the first two models,” said Julie Mazorra Fernández, director of North World Industry, which will be the distributor of Dongfeng vehicles in Canada.
In 2024, Canada imposed a 100% tariff on China-made EVs on top of an existing 6.1% tariff, effectively barring such vehicles from entering the Canadian market.
In January this year, Canada reached an agreement with China during Prime Minister Mark Carney’s visit to the country, agreeing to allow as many as 49,000 China-made EVs into its market each year.
Vehicles eligible under the quota will be subject to the 6.1% most-favored-nation tariff rate, sparing them from punitive tariffs as high as 106.1%, in exchange for China removing tariffs on some Canadian agricultural products.
So far, Tesla is the only company to have used the import quota at scale, with its Shanghai factory having shipped thousands of vehicles to Canada, the Bloomberg report noted.
But Carney has said he wants to see a wide variety of EVs on Canadian roads. Chinese companies including BYD (HKEX: 1211) and Chery (HKEX: 9973) have also said they hope to start using the quota soon.
Mazorra Fernández said Dongfeng wants to familiarize Canadian consumers with its products before pushing ahead with sales.
She said an event on Tuesday at the Old Port of Montreal will showcase models including the Dongfeng Vigo (Nammi 06 in China) and Nammi Box 01 (Nammi 01 in China).
She also said manufacturing in Canada could be part of Dongfeng’s longer-term plans. The company has joint ventures with Stellantis NV and Nissan Motor to produce vehicles in other markets including Europe and South America.
“They are very interested not only to bring the cars, but also to have the opportunity to have more commercial relations here with Canadian companies,” Mazorra Fernández said.
Before Dongfeng, Geely Holding Group’s Lotus brand EVs are set to become among the first China-owned and China-made vehicles to be sold in Canada under the agreement.
Chinese Ambassador to Canada Wang Di told Reuters last month that the Lotus vehicles would arrive in Canada in July, with a ceremony to be held when they are delivered in Montreal.
“I hope in autumn this year, the truly, genuinely other Chinese brand EVs will complete the procedures and get into the Canadian market,” Wang said through an interpreter.
BYD executive vice president Stella Li recently told Reuters that the company may start selling vehicles in Canada next year.
In addition, Nissan is also considering exporting vehicles made by Dongfeng Nissan, its Chinese joint venture with Dongfeng, to Canada to tap growing local demand for low-cost EVs, according to a Bloomberg report in May.
Lotus EVs will arrive in Canada next month, with a ceremony planned when the cars are delivered in Montreal.
