Analysts suggest our shores could act as a beachhead for the automaker’s ultimate goal—the American market
- Lobbyists for BYD are hard at work in Ottawa ahead of a prospective Canadian launch, say reports
- The Chinese company is one of the world’s largest manufacturers of electric vehicles
- BYD also just announced a tie-up with Uber, and mentioned Canada as a possible future market
Ni hao, BYD.
We’ve seen all this before, of course. Anyone alive in the ‘70s and ‘80s knows the precipitous plunge in market share Detroit saw in those decades, almost all of which went to the Japanese. The 1990s and 2000s brought Korean automakers into the mix, further splintering loyalties and divvying up the pie.
Of course, most of those companies now have a strong Canadian or North American presence when it comes to manufacturing and the employment of locals — though there was plenty of handwringing in the moment, not unlike concerns brought today with BYD.
Want more proof the company is knocking on our door? BYD and Uber announced just today that they are tag-teaming to bring upwards of 100,000 new electric vehicles to the ride-hailing platform. Starting in Europe and Latin America, this effort is planned on a global scale, and the companies specifically mentioned the Middle East, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada amongst future markets. Uber and BYD hope to offer Uber drivers discounts on vehicle maintenance, charging, and financing.
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