BYD Enjoys Better Name Recognition in Canada than Volkswagen and BMW When it Comes to EVs

• Auto Trader ran a survey about electric vehicles among 1,761 Canadians last month.

• 12% of respondents highlighted BYD when asked to name three EV brands, more than some legacy automakers.

• BYD, Geely, and Chery are currently building a sales and service network in Canada ahead of sales starting later this year.

Despite not having sold a vehicle to private customers in Canada yet, Chinese automaker BYD apparently benefits from better brand recognition than Volkswagen and BMW when it comes to electric vehicles, according to an Auto Trader survey.

Indeed, 12% of the 1,761 Canadians polled in March named BYD when asked to identify three automakers that sell electric vehicles.

While this sounds fairly low, it is a bigger proportion of respondents than those who wrote in Volkswagen and BMW, which have been selling electric vehicles in the country for 8 and 12 years, respectively.

Unsurprisingly, Tesla and Toyota were the most popular brands in the survey, being identified by 73 and 47% of participants, respectively, but BYD’s showing is still impressive given it isn’t currently implanted on the market.

This should change soon, however, as the leading Chinese automaker is currently in the process of building a sales and service network around Canada in the hopes of beginning deliveries before the end of 2026.

This will allow BYD to take advantage of the recent tariff exemption on up to 49,000 Chinese electric vehicles annually that was negotiated between Ottawa and Beijing earlier this year.

This allotment, which will increase by 6.5% per year, includes cars made in China by American and European automakers, along with cars fully developed in China.

BYD is not alone in wanting to enter the Canadian market this year, as rivals Geely and Chery also plan to begin sales within the year.

While Chinese EVs are known to be significantly more technologically advanced than their American, European, and Japanese competitors, on average, their main attraction for Canadians remains their lower prices.

In fact, 74% of respondents who said they would consider a Chinese electric vehicle identified pricing as a factor in their interest.

Interestingly, the same survey shows a growing interest in all electric vehicles after a significant drop last year.

Indeed, 49% of participants who don’t already own an EV said they are considering one for their next vehicle, compared to 46% in 2024 and 42% in 2025.

The return of the $5,000 federal EV incentive (under stricter conditions), as well as the arrival of more affordable models, and the anticipation of even cheaper Chinese EVs, can explain this return of enthusiasm for electrification among Canadian buyers.

The recent increase in fuel prices also has a part to play in this reversal of the trend.

Source: Automotive News Canada