Tesla imports Shanghai-made Model 3 to Canada at CA$39,490

Tesla has started selling a Shanghai-built Model 3 in Canada priced at CA$39,490. The Model 3 Premium RWD shipped from Tesla’s Shanghai factory is the lowest-priced Model 3 offered in Canada.

Ottawa reduced tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles to 6.1% in January and set an annual import cap of 49,000 vehicles, allowing Chinese-made cars to return to the Canadian market. These are the first shipments of Chinese-built Teslas to Canada since 2024.

The base Model 3 Premium RWD is rated at 463 kilometers of range and accelerates from 0 to 100 kph in 4.2 seconds. Tesla cut the price of the Performance Model 3 by 17%, to CA$74,990 from CA$89,990. The Performance version is rated at 478 kilometers, reaches 0–100 kph in 3.1 seconds and has a top speed of 262 kph. The price gap between the base and Performance versions is CA$35,500.

Shanghai-built Model 3s do not qualify for Canada’s CA$5,000 federal electric vehicle rebate because the incentive is limited to vehicles made in countries that have trade agreements with Canada. Even without the rebate, CA$39,490 is the lowest retail price for a Model 3 in Canada.

Tesla lists the same base model in the United States at US$42,490. The U.S. price is higher than the Canadian price, reflecting differences in where the cars are built and the taxes applied.

First deliveries of the Shanghai-built units are scheduled to begin in May or June. The current import cap of 49,000 vehicles per year is scheduled to rise to 70,000 by 2030.

Canada imposed a 100% tariff on Chinese electric vehicles in 2024. After that tariff, automakers shifted supply toward U.S.-built models and Ottawa added a 25% tariff on U.S.-made vehicles in early 2025.

Other Chinese manufacturers are expanding abroad. BYD plans to open 20 stores in Canada within a year, starting in Toronto. Xiaomi is preparing to enter European markets and is targeting Germany around 2027.