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[Victoria Watcher]

Tesla Leads U.S. Brand Loyalty with 61.1% Repeat Buyers in February 2026

Last updated 20 hours ago

Tesla topped S&P Global Mobility's February 2026 rankings for U.S. automotive brand loyalty, with 61.1% of owners returning for another—edging Subaru at 60.5%, Toyota at 59.9%, and even Ferrari at 59.7%, well above the 52.7% industry average. Fans highlighted features like over-the-air updates, the Supercharger network, and Full Self-Driving tech that reportedly saves lives and sways friends from rival buys. While some questioned the list's low-volume luxury rankings, the data reflects strong real-world satisfaction amid EV competition, with Tesla's Model Y leading global sales.

 

 

https://x.com/i/tren...658121828495550

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 04 May 2026 - 03:28 PM.

[LJ]

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^ Chery Tiggo

The front insignia looks an awful lot like Infiniti's.

[Victoria Watcher]

• Used EV sales jumped 27.7% in March from a year earlier and were 53.9% higher than in February, according to Cox Automotive.
• Of the used EVs that sold in March, 44% came with a price under $25,000.
• There are a range of costs that may be different from the expenses that typically go with owning a gas-powered car.

https://www.cnbc.com...ship-costs.html

 

 

If you drive about 1,015 miles per month, charging an electric car at home would cost about $59.66 monthly compared with a fast charger at a public charging station, where you’d pay $169 for that energy, according to a report from Kelley Blue Book, an auto research and pricing site. For a gas car getting 30 miles per gallon, the fuel cost would be $147.24 for that monthly mileage. The estimate used a recent average national gas price of $4.09 and average kilowatt-hour costs of 17.65 cents and 50 cents for home use and at public chargers, respectively.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 05 May 2026 - 01:20 AM.

[Victoria Watcher]

The front insignia looks an awful lot like Infiniti's.

 

 

During its early years, Chery used technologies from other manufacturers; some were licensed and others were acquired by reverse engineering. This led to a lawsuit in 2003 filed by General Motors alleging that Chery had copied the design of one of its cars. Chery has since developed and improved its technologies. Since 2006, Chery has produced its engines branded as ACTECO, which it also sells to other manufacturers.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chery

[lanforod]

 

• Used EV sales jumped 27.7% in March from a year earlier and were 53.9% higher than in February, according to Cox Automotive.
• Of the used EVs that sold in March, 44% came with a price under $25,000.
• There are a range of costs that may be different from the expenses that typically go with owning a gas-powered car.

https://www.cnbc.com...ship-costs.html

 

 

If you drive about 1,015 miles per month, charging an electric car at home would cost about $59.66 monthly compared with a fast charger at a public charging station, where you’d pay $169 for that energy, according to a report from Kelley Blue Book, an auto research and pricing site. For a gas car getting 30 miles per gallon, the fuel cost would be $147.24 for that monthly mileage. The estimate used a recent average national gas price of $4.09 and average kilowatt-hour costs of 17.65 cents and 50 cents for home use and at public chargers, respectively.

 

 

Here in BC, the step 2 cost for electricity is lower than that, and the gas price is higher than that, especially in Victoria/Vancouver, so the cost disparity is considerably more.

[Victoria Watcher]

Tesla SLASHES Price of Model 3 Premium By OVER 50% in Canada

 

https://youtu.be/hYo...h_yaiBBrfyq-Cip

 

 

 

 

 

 

https://www.tesla.co...design#overview

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tesla’s Cheapest Model 3 Yet Is on Sale in Canada. No, the U.S. Can’t Have It

 

A Shanghai-built Model 3 for around $31,000 is available in Canada, but American buyers are out of luck.

 

https://www.motortre...-model-3-canada

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tesla starts selling Chinese-made Model 3s in Canada at the EV's lowest price ever

 

Read More: https://www.engadget...est-price-ever/

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 06 May 2026 - 01:42 AM.

[Victoria Watcher]

The 2026 Lotus Eletre SUV is the first new Chinese-made electric vehicle to arrive in Canada under a new lower-tariff trade framework, but it’s not the cheap alternative many drivers were hoping for. It costs at least $119,900 before all fees and taxes, and there’s a higher-performance Carbon edition that costs $179,000. Only 24 Carbons will be sold in Canada. That’s the one I drove recently on the streets of Toronto.

 

Cheaper cars from makers such as BYD and Chery are not yet confirmed, but Canada’s trade agreement with China calls for 49,000 vehicles to be imported by next March at a tariff of 6.1 per cent. This number will rise to 70,000 a year by 2030, with at least half of them priced at $35,000 or less, but for now, it’s first come, first served, and these Eletres are part of that initial 49,000.

 

Lotus is first to sell its Chinese EV here because it was all ready to go for North America when it was stalled by 100 per cent U.S. tariffs introduced by the Biden administration in May 2024. Canada followed with similar 100 per cent tariffs five months later. Lotus is majority-owned by China’s Geely Automobile Holdings Ltd., and the cars were already being built at a huge assembly plant in Wuhan. They’d been homologated – tested and approved for sale – for North America, but became untenable when the price doubled.

 

https://www.theglobe...-quota-its-not/

[Victoria Watcher]

Chinese EV brands are quickly moving from the planning stage to visible groundwork in Canada, with hiring activity, test vehicles, and retail preparations clearly indicating that market entry should begin late this year.

 

Geely Holding’s Zeekr brand has begun recruiting in Toronto for senior Canadian roles. The luxury EV brand posted seven positions on April 28 covering sales, product, legal, marketing, network development and after-sales.

 

The postings strongly suggest Zeekr is assembling the structure needed to sell and support vehicles in Canada. One network development role includes responsibility for reviewing dealer business plans and preparing a dealer operations guide.

 

https://motorillustr...h-plans/182998/

[Victoria Watcher]

BC Ferries says it will begin allowing certain immobile electric vehicles (EVs) on board its vessels later this month, updating a policy that previously restricted their transport.

Starting May 19, immobile EVs that are undamaged or have only minor cosmetic damage – and where the vehicle’s frame and battery integrity are not compromised – will be permitted to travel on BC Ferries. The change applies to EVs being towed or otherwise carried on board, while vehicles operating under their own power remain subject to existing provincial requirements.

The ferry operator said the revised policy follows consultations with Transport Canada and industry stakeholders, and aligns with federal dangerous goods regulations and established marine safety procedures.

https://cheknews.ca/...may-19-1322766/

[Victoria Watcher]

Honda Motor has indefinitely suspended plans to build a $11 billion electric vehicle (EV) factory and accompanying battery plant in Ontario, as weakening U.S. demand forces the Japanese automaker to pivot toward hybrids in its North American strategy.

The decision follows a two-year postponement announced in May 2025, with the project initially slated for a 2028 launch. Honda had planned to invest 15 billion Canadian dollars in the facilities, targeting an annual production capacity of 240,000 vehicles. Discussions with the Canadian government are underway, and the company has not ruled out scrapping the project entirely, depending on evolving EV policies in North America.

U.S. market conditions have deteriorated sharply, with EV sales plummeting 36% in the October-December quarter of 2025. Policy shifts have compounded the challenge—tax incentives under the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act were eliminated in September under President Donald Trump, inflating prices for flagship EVs by about 20%. Additionally, relaxed U.S. fuel economy standards in December have reduced pressure on automakers to prioritize EV production.

 

https://thedeepdive....n-on-the-table/

[Mike K.]

There’s some great buyer’s remorse videos now from EV owners who got caught up in the hype scam and plunged head first into financial disaster. If you don’t have a home charger, you’re essentially hooped, the crying TikTokers appear to be heard saying, and that’s after acknowledging the financial death blow they signed on to.

[lanforod]

Your bias keeps showing. The sales numbers tell another story.

[Mike K.]

Lots of people plunging into $1,500/month EV payments to save money on gas. You’re not wrong.

Although the new super cheap Teslas will absolutely make more financial sense.

[Tony]

How can there be a hype scam when there is so much negative main media and social media information on Iick Tok etc?             Are the scammed people not aware of all thiis information?

[Mike K.]

That’s the core issue, yes. They’re saying they weren’t aware of how expensive charging has become, and some got caught up in the EV scam, bought a new car, and now have massive monthly payments they didn’t have before. So they’re taking to social media to vent.

This is a rich man’s game but a lot of cheque to cheque workers were duped into believing an EV would save them money. And then there’s the severe depreciation, meaning once they buy the EV, its value craters immediately, so if they want to get out of the loan they’re deeply under water.

[Victoria Watcher]

Chinese EVs Are Coming To Canada — And Prices Could Collapse

 

https://youtu.be/2Ml...BiZlGLVts-w0QKx

 

 

BYD (HKG: 1211) is actively scouting dealership locations across Canada, targeting as many as 20 stores within its first year of operations, with Toronto as the entry point before expanding to Vancouver, Montreal, and Calgary.

 

The push follows a landmark trade agreement reached on January 16, 2026, when Prime Minister Mark Carney concluded a state visit to Beijing by announcing a dramatic reduction of Canada's EV import tariff — from 100% to the most-favoured-nation rate of 6.1% — for up to 49,000 Chinese-built vehicles per year.

 

In exchange, China agreed to lower tariffs on Canadian canola seed from roughly 85% to 15%, and lifted restrictions on Canadian lobster, crab, and peas. The 49,000-unit quota represents less than 3% of Canada's annual new car market and is set to rise gradually to 70,000 units by 2030.

 

https://www.globalch...-as-entry-point

Edited by Victoria Watcher, Yesterday, 05:49 AM.

[Victoria Watcher]

China's Chery aims to sell cars in Canada as early as late 2026

 

Roll-out begins in B.C., Ontario, and Quebec, but aim is to build "strong and sustainable presence for the long term"

https://driving.ca/a...cle-canada-2026

[Victoria Watcher]

SHANGHAI — Geely says it has become the first Chinese company to export electric vehicles from China to Canada under a new trans-Pacific trade deal, after it shipped 18 Lotus Eletre crossovers on May 7.

 

 

 

https://www.autonews...ada-china-0508/

Edited by Victoria Watcher, Yesterday, 05:58 AM.

[Victoria Watcher]

[Victoria Watcher]

Clues Suggest a Bigger Tesla Model Y Is Coming to the U.S.

 

 

Tesla invites U.S. influencers to preview the Model Y L overseas, which could mean a possible American launch for the long-wheelbase EV SUV.

 

https://www.autoblog...ming-to-the-u-s

Edited by Victoria Watcher, Today, 06:47 AM.