Geely officially entered the Canadian market, but did so with extreme caution. Instead of cars under its own brand, the company began deliveries through Lotus – a British brand that is part of the Chinese holding Geely Holding Group. The first model was the Chinese-assembled Lotus Eletre crossover.
Formally, this is a British brand, but the car itself is produced at Geely's factory in Wuhan. This is what makes the situation unusual: Chinese automakers are increasingly using their owned European brands as a "bridge" to enter Western markets.
The Lotus Eletre is far from a niche model. The crossover is equipped with a dual-motor powertrain with up to 905 hp, an 800-volt architecture, and supports charging up to 350 kW. The WLTP range reaches approximately 600 km.
The timing of the launch itself is particularly significant. Canada recently allowed limited imports of Chinese cars at reduced tariffs – about 49,000 vehicles per year. Against the backdrop of strict American tariffs, this effectively turns Canada into a potential "entry point" for Chinese brands into North America.
Moreover, Geely already has an infrastructure that many competitors can only dream of. The holding controls Volvo, Polestar, Lotus, Zeekr, and Lynk & Co, and also has a Volvo factory in South Carolina. CNBC analysts believe that Geely is currently better prepared than other Chinese companies for a large-scale entry into North America.
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