UAW Urges Congress to Lock Down Chinese EV Access Before the Window Closes

The United Auto Workers is pushing congressional leaders to make the ban on Chinese automakers permanent and statutory before year-end, arguing that executive-order-based restrictions can be reversed by a single presidential decision. The union's letter to House Speaker Mike Johnson and Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries warns that "autoworkers cannot afford any lapse in Congress's attention on this issue."

What the coalition is asking for

The UAW's concerns span three areas:

• Global EV overcapacity — Chinese automakers are producing far more than domestic demand can absorb, creating pressure to export at prices that undercut Western manufacturers.
• Chinese ownership of Western automakers — equity stakes in established brands (Geely's majority hold in Volvo, which assembles in South Carolina; near-20% Chinese ownership of Mercedes-Benz, which builds in Alabama) complicate any simple "ban on Chinese brands" rule.
• Offshoring risk — the possibility that U.S.-based plants could shift production or sourcing to China.

The legislative vehicle

The Connected Vehicle Security Act, co-authored by Democratic Senator Elissa Slotkin and Republican Senator Bernie Moreno, has cleared the Senate Commerce Committee. Moreno has said he is "really, really close" to a deal and hopes for a Senate vote as early as the following week. A lobbying group representing GM, Toyota, Volkswagen, and other major U.S. automakers is pressing for the work to be finished this year.

Where the coalition splits

The current rule, introduced under the Biden administration in early 2025, already effectively bars Chinese automakers from selling or building passenger vehicles in the U.S., backed by tariffs exceeding 100% on Chinese-made EVs. The new push is about making that restriction legally permanent so it survives changes in administration.

The internal debate is over how far the ban should go:

• The UAW wants a blanket restriction on any Chinese ownership involvement.
• Some legislative proposals would restrict brands in which Chinese entities hold more than 15% equity.
• Ford has pitched a framework allowing Chinese automakers to enter only through joint ventures where a U.S. partner holds at least 51%, inverting the model China long imposed on foreign carmakers. Ford has already agreed to build vehicles for Geely at its idle Valencia, Spain plant from 2028, and dismissed reports of a specific JV with Xiaomi.
• GM is lobbying against any joint-venture framework, viewing it as a back door for low-cost Chinese rivals.

Why it matters for Canadian buyers

Canada's 6.1% most-favoured-nation tariff on Chinese-built EVs (under the 49,000-vehicle annual quota) keeps Chinese models technically accessible. A tighter U.S. statutory ban would signal a firmer North American regulatory posture, but Canada's quota system operates independently. For Canadian buyers, the near-term effect is limited; the longer-term signal is that the regulatory floor under which Chinese EVs can compete in North America is being formalised, potentially reducing future price competition from Chinese brands in the Canadian market.

For the broader policy picture, see our coverage of the Chinese EV import quota and Ford's Brampton pushback.

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