More than twice as many Canadians would prefer a European-influenced vehicle market over a U.S. one when it comes to the brands, models, vehicle sizes and types, and EV options that will become available to them in the coming years.
asserted
that → prefer → years
This latest survey finding from Abacus Data and Clean Energy Canada arrives as EU carmakers and drivers electrify at record speed — seeing 45 per cent EV growth year-on-year in the first half of 2026 — while Trump’s America isolates its heavier-polluting auto sector from the world.
asserted
America → arrive → world
Canada faces a choice: do we want our car market to become more European or more American?
asserted
market → face → choice
Delinking from the U.S.
asserted
Delinking → delinke → U.S.
It’s a decision that now has to be made as Canada has long let American preferences dictate what we drive, largely through the mutual alignment of vehicle standards related to fuel efficiency and safety.
asserted
we → ’ → efficiency
And while Canada is now designing its own fuel efficiency standards, delinking from the U.S. ones Trump effectively dismantled, those other, seemingly duller standards related to safety are suddenly on the table too and for good reason.
asserted
standards → design → reason
Canada is currently negotiating the nature of a closer relationship with the EU ahead of the EU-Canada Summit later this month in Montreal and Ottawa is considering adopting EU vehicle safety standards in combination with our current North American ones, as they already do in Mexico.
asserted
they → negotiate → Mexico
Not only will it open Canada up to more affordable EVs and compact vehicles, the status quo will soon become yet another new problem for us if we fail to act.
asserted
we → open → us
Safety standards determine which vehicles end up in Canada and Canadian and American car preferences are diverging.
asserted
preferences → determine → Canada
Consider the Nissan Leaf, a pioneering compact EV: in the first three-quarters of 2026, Nissan sold twice as many Leafs in Canada as it did in the entire U.S.
asserted
it → consider → U.S.
Meanwhile, the Ariya, Nissan’s larger EV, is still being sold in Canada but has been cancelled in America.
asserted
Ariya → sell → America
The Volvo EX30 is similarly being discontinued in the U.S. while continuing on in Canada, and we’re also now losing the U.S.-built Volkswagen ID.4 because of waning American demand.
asserted
we → discontinue → demand
These models once had U.S. aspirations.
asserted
models → have → aspirations
But now automakers are adjusting to an EV market more influenced by Trump than Biden.
asserted
automakers → adjust → Biden
This will impact which existing models continue to be sent to North America and which new models get certified in the future — including here in Canada.
asserted
models → impact → Canada
It takes time and money to certify a vehicle for North American roads and if an automaker doesn’t think a model will sell well in the U.S., that company will be hard-pressed to seek expensive safety certification for the Canadian market alone.
asserted
company → take → market
(It’s worth mentioning here that certain Chinese automakers are, in fact, going through this process exclusively for the Canadian market, but Chinese automakers have a history of playing the long game.)
asserted
automakers → ’ → game
And right now is the moment to fix it: by simply adopting European safety standards.
asserted
moment → fix → standards
Multiple automakers — including Stellantis, Volkswagen, Nissan, and Mazda — and the Canadian Automobile Dealers Association have publicly supported the idea, indicating they have a portfolio of EU products they could tap for the Canadian market.
In the words of Stellantis Canada CEO Trevor Longley, “when you look at our European options, we have a lot of electrified options that I think could be potentially great for this market in the future.”
uncertain
I → include → future
Canadians spend less
Better access to European vehicles would also help Canadians spend less at the pump by improving access to the budget-friendly EVs already available for sale there.
asserted
Canadians → spend → sale
Last year, Clean Energy Canada identified 20 EV models under $40,000 that were available in Europe but not Canada, such as the popular Renault 5 E-Tech.
asserted
that → identify → Tech
And that selection keeps expanding as EU carmakers develop and introduce more competitively priced EVs.
asserted
carmakers → keep → EVs
Indeed, Volkswagen’s new EVs have become so popular in Europe that the automaker is now cutting production shifts of its internal combustion cars in order to build more electric ones.
asserted
automaker → become → ones
Finally, if Canada aims to establish itself as a key link in Europe’s EV supply chain amid current negotiations
asserted
Canada → aim → negotiations
— feeding in our critical minerals, battery components, and potentially even auto parts — making it easier for EU carmakers to serve the Canadian market would make Canada more attractive when it comes to EV-related investments.
asserted
it → feed → investments
It’s why we spell civilization with a z but keep the u in colour.
asserted
we → ’ → colour
When it comes to the cars we drive, Canada should likewise pick its own lane — one that’s neither wholly American or European, but appropriately Canadian.
asserted
that → come → lane
The Aporia
