Canadian Import Restriction - USA into Canada of Model S

[mknox]

Model S doesn't qualify - the Panasonic batteries put it under the North American content requirements. You're still looking at at $5,000 - $10,000 in import duty.

Yeah, that ticked me off when I found out. That's when I decided not to go for the Signature series and save my money. I wish Tesla could have sold the car "batteries not included" so that I only would have had to pay the duty on the pack and not on the full value of the car + pack :wink:

 

[green1]

Model S doesn't qualify - the Panasonic batteries put it under the North American content requirements. You're still looking at at $5,000 - $10,000 in import duty.

According to the RIV website you can bring in anything with a VIN starting with 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5 without paying any import duty (Model S starts with a 5) (I'm not sure if it's different for importing a used vehicle than new, but according to the site we wouldn't have to pay the duty)

But I guess the answer is, no, nobody has yet tried to talk to Tesla and save thousands of dollars.

 

[stoked]

Good news that the Tesla Model S is now admissible for import. I've imported several cars in the past and the last one was caught in limbo with the immobilizer BS. Manufacturers like to play tricks like charging for recall letters or avoiding giving them out at all. Some won't sell a metric speedo to replace an imperial-only speedo. The biggest concern for me is if Tesla will provide warranty for an imported vehicle considering it would be very difficult finding third party service.

I'll probably reach out to Tesla to see what's required, does anyone know if the US Model S can be toggled into metric units display?

Thanks.

 

[bollar]

Yes, a driver setting will change the display to kilometers for speed and odometer.

 

[SUN-day Driver]

big differences between Canadian spec vehicles and American spec vehicles (in general, not Tesla specific)
- bumper requirements

What are the bumper requirements that Canada has that the U.S. doesnt't have?

 

[stoked]

What are the bumper requirements that Canada has that the U.S. doesnt't have?

Minimal damage at a higher speed. Something like 10kmph vs 5mph. If the car is admissible then the bumper restriction is met so the Tesla bumpers are fine. An example off the top of my head was one of the Mitsubishi EVO generations had a front intercooler and the damage from a 10kmph crash would cost more due to damage to the fmic (details may be inaccurate it's been awhile since I've imported a vehicle).

 

[mknox]

What are the bumper requirements that Canada has that the U.S. doesnt't have?

My recollection is that originally both Canada and the US specified 5 MPH back in 1975 when energy absorbing bumpers were introduced. At some point the US reduced the rear to 3 MPH and then later the front as well while Canada stayed at 5 MPH. I'm going from memory and could be way off base, but that is how I recall the sequence of events.

 

[green1]

My recollection is that originally both Canada and the US specified 5 MPH back in 1975 when energy absorbing bumpers were introduced. At some point the US reduced the rear to 3 MPH and then later the front as well while Canada stayed at 5 MPH. I'm going from memory and could be way off base, but that is how I recall the sequence of events.

That is my recollection as well.

If the car is admissible then the bumper restriction is met so the Tesla bumpers are fine

Not necessarily, many vehicles that are admissible require bumper replacement to be admissible. Tesla could potentially be one of them and we know from other threads that this would eat up your import savings really quickly (though my gut feeling is that this won't be the case though, I'm betting the bumpers on the Tesla are the same in the US as Canada)

 

[Asif]

That is my recollection as well.


Not necessarily, many vehicles that are admissible require bumper replacement to be admissible. Tesla could potentially be one of them and we know from other threads that this would eat up your import savings really quickly (though my gut feeling is that this won't be the case though, I'm betting the bumpers on the Tesla are the same in the US as Canada)

You'd figure with the Model S being the safest car ever tested the bumpers could handle the minimum requirements.

 

[green1]

You'd figure with the Model S being the safest car ever tested the bumpers could handle the minimum requirements.

You're under the mistaken impression that the requirements have anything to do with safety... the requirements are protectionism at it's finest. (Actually they were originally designed to help lower insurance premiums by allowing small accidents without major damage, but loopholes to the rules allow the bumpers themselves to be severely damaged as long as nothing else is, and in modern cars the bumpers can encompass half the front of the vehicle and cost thousands to replace... so it hasn't saved people any money either.)
The Tesla is designed to keep the occupants safe, (and does a great job of it) but that doesn't tell you anything about the bumpers alone vs other components of the safety systems. (Though as I said in my last post, my best guess is that the Tesla bumpers are fine, we just won't know until Tesla tells us what's required because in the RIV document it just says "ask Tesla")

 

[stoked]

Not necessarily, many vehicles that are admissible require bumper replacement to be admissible. Tesla could potentially be one of them and we know from other threads that this would eat up your import savings really quickly (though my gut feeling is that this won't be the case though, I'm betting the bumpers on the Tesla are the same in the US as Canada)

You're correct. I'll have to contact Tesla and see what's required.

 

[Frankydude]

Well, Tesla just got the import restriction to Canada reactivated, as they got the list of the RIV to have the Model S removed
in the list of admissible cars. We can tell that this administrative barrier is originating FROM TESLA, because of the note 2.
It was there until july 25.
The list is accessible on this link. TESLA MOTORS
There is a note on the page of the RIV saying:
Note-2: Tesla Motors has informed Transport Canada that Tesla service centers are currently not in a position to support the substantial modifications required to bring U.S.Model S vehicles into compliance with Canadian requirements. Contact the manufacturer for further details.

IMHO, this is highly unlikely that Tesla service centers cannot support the modifications to go into Canadian requirements.
It's rather a pure protectionnist measure.

Francois
B2653

 

[Asif]

IMHO, this is highly unlikely that Tesla service centers cannot support the modifications to go into Canadian requirements.
It's rather a pure protectionnist measure.

Francois
B2653

But what /who are they protecting? They don't have any dealers to protect.

 

[Frankydude]

They are protecting a higher price tag in Canada. So that protects their profit margin.

What I find incorrect in this blocking, is that TM do want to do direct sales to customers (no dealers),
and at the same time, try to use and put up all barriers they can to protect their market.


Francois
B2653

 

[djp]

They are protecting a higher price tag in Canada. So that protects their profit margin.

The higher price tag in Canada is import duty. Their profit margin is the same in both countries.

 

[Asif]

The higher price tag in Canada is import duty. Their profit margin is the same in both countries.

That was my understanding as well, the import duty and currency were the two reasons for the price difference in Canada. Compared to other manufactures, the price difference between Canada and US is very reasonable.

 

[green1]

What they protect is new car sales. I'd love to buy a used Tesla, but there are currently two for sale in the whole country as far as I can tell. If you add the US market that increases the numbers a lot. The only other option is to buy new (which obviously makes Tesla more money)

 

[Asif]

What they protect is new car sales. I'd love to buy a used Tesla, but there are currently two for sale in the whole country as far as I can tell. If you add the US market that increases the numbers a lot. The only other option is to buy new (which obviously makes Tesla more money)

I guess I should count me as one of the lucky ones that found a used Tesla in Canada.

 

[Paul8810]

Here's a used 60 at a Winnipeg dealer, looking at the pics it's definitely a US version (black seatbelt buckles, no cellular signal on the center display).. Curious how they managed to get this imported?

2013 TESLA Model S Electric Exotic Sport Car! | nottautocorp.com

 

[mrElbe]

One of the mods probably required for Canada would be a change of cellular provider. Another problem is warranty service. Canadian operation has a certain put of money allocated for this and US operation has their pot. A US car wanting warranty service in Canada would have to have its service back charged to the US operation.