The canola-for-cars deal cooked up by Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and Chinese President Xi Jinping is about to bear its most exotic fruit yet: a shipment of sporty new Lotus Eletre EVs set to arrive in Montreal this month. A shipment of 18 brand-new Lotus Eletre EVs will be the first Chinese-built electric vehicles from a Chinese-owned brand set to go on sale in Canada under an agreement that allows up to 49,000 Chinese EVs to be imported each year at reduced tariff rates, as the country looks to diversify its auto market and reduce its dependence on US brands. In exchange for lower tariffs on Chinese EVs and a foothold in the North American market, Canada is hoping that China will reduce its current import duties on Canadian canola oil (currently at 100%) and pork (at 25%). Reuters reports that tariff relief on products including canola meal, peas, and lobster – currently set to expire at the end of this year – are also on the table. “As long as we keep to the right track, at the right pace, towards the right direction, there will be a lot of potential for us to increase our trade,” explains Wang Yi, China’s Minister of Foreign Affairs. “As long as the two countries uphold the principle of mutual respect, equality, reciprocity … there will be nothing that we cannot resolve.” Advertisement - scroll for more content Wang also indicated that Canada could supply nearly 22 million metric tons of crude oil to China annually, up from the nearly 15.5 million tons last year. Lotus Eletre Lotus Eletre; by Geely. Lotus Cars’ compelling, high-performance electric SUV received a number of fresh updates for 2026, packing superior infotainment tech, styling tweaks, and (of course) a mind-bending 905 electric horsepower. All that power gets put to the ground through a sporty, Lotus-tuned suspension that promises to deliver superior driving dynamics (what we used to call “ride and handling”) than similarly priced crossovers, though the wider tires wrapped around the Lotus’ 22″ wheels do add to the Eletre’s frontal area, increasing wind resistance and leading to a relatively low 304 miles of range from a 112 kWh battery on the WLTP cycle. The Geely-owned brand will hold a launch ceremony for the 18 Eletre SUVs in Montreal later this month. SOURCES: CNEVPost, Politico, Reuters; images by Lotus. If you’re considering going solar, it’s always a good idea to get quotes from a few installers. To make sure you find a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing, check out EnergySage, a free service that makes it easy for you to go solar. It has hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high-quality solutions and save 20-30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it’s free to use, and you won’t get sales calls until you select an installer and share your phone number with them. Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisors to help you every step of the way. Get started here. Stay up to date with the latest content by subscribing to Electrek on Google News. You’re reading Electrek— experts who break news about Tesla, electric vehicles, and green energy, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow Electrek on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Don’t know where to start? Check out our YouTube channel for the latest reviews.
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