Chinese EVs in Canada: What Really Matters Before You Buy, Beyond Price
Chinese EVs in Canada: What Really Matters Before You Buy, Beyond Price
Posted on October 21, 2026
Sales Director — Brossard Hyundai
The first electric vehicles built in China are arriving in Canada, and some clients ask me whether they should wait. According to an Abacus Data poll for Clean Energy Canada, conducted September 18 to 23, 2026 among 2,762 adults, 42% of people considering an EV for their next purchase could wait for more Chinese models to become available. It's a natural reaction: when choice expands, you want to compare. My role isn't to tell you what to think, but to give you the questions to ask before deciding, whatever the brand.
What I See in My Conversations with Clients
Let's be honest: so far, very few clients bring these vehicles up. I'd rather raise the subject now, because it's coming. When it does, it is almost never about price alone. It's about peace of mind: "What if I have a problem in three years? Who handles it, and where?"
Where Does the Arrival of Chinese EVs Stand?
Since March 1, 2026, the Ottawa-Beijing arrangement allows an initial annual quota of 49,000 China-built electric vehicles, at a 6.1% tariff instead of the 100% surtax. Between March and August, 15,603 vehicles were imported out of 24,500 authorized, about 64%. The Automedia article attributes this pace partly to the time needed for homologation and to set up distribution networks. In other words, those networks are still being built.
I'm not saying these vehicles will be bad. I'm saying their sales and service network in Quebec is, for now, still to be built. And that is exactly where the difference plays out for an owner.
Source: Automedia (in French)
What Questions Should You Ask Before Buying Any EV?
Here are the five I ask my own clients.
1. Who services and repairs the vehicle, and how far from my home?
An EV needs less routine maintenance, but not none: brakes, suspension, tires, battery cooling, software updates.
2. What is the warranty, in writing and precisely?
At Hyundai Canada, the New Vehicle Limited Warranty is 5 years or 100,000 km, the Electric Vehicle System Warranty (including the high-voltage battery) is 8 years or 160,000 km, and roadside assistance is 5 years, unlimited km. Ask for the same figures, in writing, from any brand you compare.
3. Are parts available in Quebec?
A vehicle stuck waiting for a part means stress and rental costs.
4. What will it be worth at resale?
Resale value is built over time and on the used market's trust. Ask your advisor for residual-value examples on the model you're considering, and check the resale-value rankings published in Canada.
5. What do independent sources say?
In its ranking of the best new electric cars of 2025 (Protégez-Vous, April 22, 2025), the APA assesses vehicles on reliability, resale value, parts availability and after-sales service, in addition to driving and safety. Those are exactly the peace-of-mind criteria I'm talking about here. The APA rates the Ioniq 5's reliability "acceptable" and notes, for the Ioniq 5, after-sales service superior to that of its counterpart from another brand. Source: Protégez-Vous / APA (in French)
The ICCU: A Known Problem, and What Hyundai Did
An article about peace of mind would be incomplete if I skipped the ICCU. The ICCU (integrated charging control unit) manages charging and power supply in vehicles built on Hyundai's E-GMP platform. When it fails, the signs can be a dashboard warning light, a loss of power or limited charging. According to RPM, the vehicle can even be immobilized if the 12-volt battery discharges.
Here is what Hyundai did. In Canada, the manufacturer extended the ICCU warranty free of charge to 15 years or 290,000 km, whichever comes first, for the 2022 to 2024 Ioniq 5 and 2023 to 2025 Ioniq 6. Previously, under a 2024 recall, dealers applied software updates and replaced components as needed.
And here is the honest part: RPM reports that some owners saw the same symptoms after those fixes, and that Hyundai has not announced a final solution. The extension buys the manufacturer time to develop one. A 15-year warranty, well beyond the usual 8-year electric system coverage, is a concrete commitment: the manufacturer owns the problem instead of leaving it on your bill.
If you own an affected model and notice one of these symptoms, come see us. We diagnose, we document, and we handle the file with you.
What We Observed at the Dealership
When a client reported the problem, they quickly left in a courtesy vehicle, at no cost to them. At Brossard Hyundai, we maintain a fleet of 15 courtesy vehicles that we lend free of charge to our clients, because we understand you need to get around while we take care of the file. On the manufacturer's side, replacement parts were ordered right away and arrived fast: within 48 hours when shipped from Toronto, and in under a week when coming from Vancouver. I commend Hyundai's proactiveness on this file: it is exactly the kind of response that rebuilds an owner's confidence.
Sources: RPM (in French); Auto123
What Can Hyundai Concretely Show?
Models recognized by the Canadian automotive press. In 2023, the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada (AJAC) named the Ioniq 6 Canadian Car of the Year, and the Ioniq 5 Canadian Utility Vehicle of the Year and Canadian Green Utility Vehicle of the Year.
Safety results. In the United States, IIHS awarded the Ioniq 5, Ioniq 9 and Kona a 2026 Top Safety Pick+. These ratings are American: they don't replace Canadian safety ratings, but they are a recognized indicator.
An established network. Hyundai has 65 dealers in Quebec and 225 in Canada, present for more than 40 years. For you, that means a service shop near home, technicians trained on EVs, accessible parts and a warranty honoured at the same place that sold you the vehicle.
A dealership committed to service quality. Brossard Hyundai takes part in Hyundai's Signature certification program, which frames the customer experience in sales and service. Our Google rating is 4.4 out of 5.
What I Recommend, Depending on Your Situation
You want an EV now
Compare warranty, service and parts availability in detail, not just price and range. Take a test drive, ideally in cold weather.
You're tempted to wait for the newcomers
Waiting is a legitimate choice. Note that on December 31, 2026, Quebec's Roulez vert incentive ends and the federal EVAP incentive drops in 2027. I detail these dates in my article on EV incentives in Quebec. Also check which trims will actually be eligible and available.
You simply want to compare
Come try an Ioniq with your own routine. I'd rather have an informed client who chooses elsewhere than a rushed client who regrets it.
What Doesn't Change
A new player on the market can be good for everyone: more choice, more pressure on prices. It doesn't change the fact that a vehicle is judged over ten years, not on purchase day.
Our Sales Director's Point of View
It is almost never about price alone. It's about peace of mind: "What if I have a problem in three years? Who handles it, and where?"
Jean-François Charest — Sales Director, Brossard Hyundai
I'd rather have an informed client who chooses elsewhere than a rushed client who regrets it. A vehicle is judged over ten years, not on purchase day.
Jean-François Charest — Sales Director, Brossard Hyundai
Frequently Asked Questions About Chinese EVs in Canada
The arrival of Chinese EVs
Can you buy a Chinese EV in Canada?
Yes, under an initial annual quota of 49,000 vehicles, since March 1, 2026, at a 6.1% tariff. Between March and August 2026, 15,603 vehicles were imported out of 24,500 authorized.
What questions should you ask before buying any EV?
Who services and repairs the vehicle and how far from your home, what the written warranty is, whether parts are available in Quebec, what the vehicle will be worth at resale, and what independent sources such as the APA say.
Do government incentives apply to all EVs?
No. Eligibility depends on the model, price and place of manufacture. Validate with your advisor.
Hyundai warranties and awards
What warranty does Hyundai Canada offer on its EVs?
5-year/100,000 km New Vehicle Limited Warranty, 8-year/160,000 km electric system and high-voltage battery coverage, 5-year roadside assistance with unlimited km.
What did Hyundai do about the ICCU problem?
In Canada, Hyundai extended the ICCU warranty free of charge to 15 years or 290,000 km, whichever comes first, for the 2022 to 2024 Ioniq 5 and 2023 to 2025 Ioniq 6. Owners who notice a warning light, a loss of power or limited charging should have their vehicle diagnosed at a Hyundai dealer.
What distinctions have the Ioniq models received?
In 2023, AJAC named the Ioniq 6 (an Ioniq model not offered in 2026) Canadian Car of the Year and the Ioniq 5 Canadian Utility Vehicle of the Year. The Ioniq 5 also earned a 2026 IIHS Top Safety Pick+ (United States).
Let's Talk About Your Project
Whether you're ready to buy or just curious, come see us for an honest comparison.
Brossard Hyundai
8750 Taschereau Blvd., Brossard, QC J4X 1C2
Sales: 1 (866) 848-0083
Information current as of October 20, 2026. Programs, warranties and conditions may change; validate with your advisor.
Sources: Automedia; Abacus Data / Clean Energy Canada; Hyundai Canada (warranties); Protégez-Vous / APA; RPM; Auto123; AJAC (2023 awards); IIHS (2026 Top Safety Pick+).