The US Just Moved to Shut the Door on Chinese EVs Coming Through Canada

Two U.S. lawmakers want to stop Chinese connected vehicles from driving into the United States through Canada and Mexico.

Congresswoman Haley Stevens and Senator Elissa Slotkin in Michigan announced the Protecting America from Chinese Cars Act at the Mackinac Policy Conference on Mackinac Island last week. The bill would ban connected vehicles made in China or by companies with more than 15% Chinese ownership from entering the US, including day trips across the border. That could put a damper in your future vacation plans if you buy a Chinese EV here.

Slotkin said in a statement, “they’re surveillance packages on wheels, fully capable of geolocating individual drivers, collecting full-motion video, and mapping sensitive infrastructure sites, including our military.”

Ottawa recently signed a trade deal in January that slashed tariffs on Chinese EVs from 100% down to just 6.1%, opening the door to up to 49,000 Chinese cars per year. Prime Minister Mark Carney expects that within five years, over half of these imports will be “affordable EVs with an import price of less than $35,000,” making for cheaper EVs for Canadians.

BYD, Chery and Geely are all actively preparing to enter the Canadian market, with BYD reportedly planning 20 Canadian sales sites in 2026 and Chery already spotted testing vehicles on Ontario roads. None of these are expected to reach Canadian showrooms until late 2026 at the earliest, but the pipeline is clearly filling up fast. Chinese EVs have already grabbed a 15% market share in Mexico, and US lawmakers are worried Canada is next, giving these vehicles a backdoor into the American market from the north.

Stevens framed it as both a security and a jobs issue. “The Chinese Communist Party should never have access to sensitive information about American drivers, roads, or critical infrastructure. The Protect America from Chinese Cars Act closes dangerous loopholes that currently allow Chinese connected vehicles to enter the United States through Canada and Mexico.”

If passed, the bill gives US Customs and Border Protection 90 days to publish a list of banned vehicles and develop enforcement procedures. There’s also a process for manufacturers to apply for exemptions under strict conditions with congressional oversight.

What does this mean? If this act passes, Canadians that buy Chinese EVs won’t be able to drive across the border into the U.S. on roadtrips, which would definitely put damper on travel plans. It would also discourage Canadians to buy Chinese EVs as well.