Chinese Cars Will Come To America Sooner Rather Than Later

Chinese-made electric vehicles are still largely kept out of the US by steep tariffs, but signs point to that changing over the next several years. Waymo is already importing Chinese-built Zeekr minivans for its robotaxi fleet, paying a 127.5 percent tariff and still finding them cheaper than the SUVs it used before. Canada has started allowing 50,000 Chinese EVs a year into the country, and Mexico already has many BYD vehicles on its roads. Cars registered in Canada can legally drive on US roads, so Americans near the borders will start seeing them regularly.

The pull is price. The average new EV in China sold for about $36,600 in the first half of 2026, compared with an average of $55,300 for a new EV in the US and $48,800 for a new gas car. Analysts and even Ford's CEO expect Chinese automakers to eventually enter the US market, possibly within five to ten years, as consumer demand for cheaper EVs builds pressure. For now, companies like Geely (which owns Volvo, Polestar, and Zeekr) are only considering US entry, and GM just extended its China joint venture without any plan to bring those vehicles here.

None of this means a Chinese-brand EV is available to buy in US showrooms yet. But if tariffs ease or rules change down the road, homeowners cross-shopping EVs may eventually have lower-priced options to consider alongside the usual brands.