GM Crowned Canada’s #1 EV Seller in Q1 2025, Overtaking Tesla

General Motors has announced that it has surpassed Tesla to become the top-selling electric vehicle (EV) brand in Canada for the first quarter of 2025. This marks a significant shift in the Canadian EV market, where Tesla has held a dominant position for years. GM attributes its rise to a surge in EV sales, which more than doubled in Q1, driven by a rapidly expanding lineup of new Chevrolet and Cadillac models.

GM’s Soaring EV Sales

In the first three months of 2025, GM’s EV sales in Canada surged by an impressive 252% year-over-year. The automaker sold a total of 5,750 electric vehicles in Q1. This follows a strong performance in Q4 2024, where GM sold approximately 15,000 EVs across Canada, making it the top seller for that quarter as well.

Key drivers of GM’s Q1 success include:

• Chevrolet Equinox EV: Led the way with 1,892 units sold.
• Chevrolet Silverado EV: Contributed significantly with 894 units.
• Cadillac OPTIQ: The new entry-level Cadillac EV had a strong debut, selling 615 models, nearly matching the 720 units of the Cadillac LYRIQ.
• GMC Hummer EV Pickup and SUV: Also saw increased demand, with sales up 232% (186 units) and 88% (252 units), respectively.

With a full lineup of 13 all-electric vehicles across its Chevrolet, GMC, and Cadillac brands, GM is leveraging its broad portfolio to capture a larger share of the Canadian EV market.

Tesla’s Steep Decline in Canada

Conversely, Tesla’s EV registrations in Canada, particularly in Quebec (the country’s largest EV market), experienced a dramatic downturn in Q1 2025. According to registration data from Quebec (SAAQ), Tesla registered just 524 vehicles in the province, an alarming 87-90% decrease from the 5,097 units registered in Q4 2024. While national data for Tesla’s sales is not publicly released by the company, this sharp decline in Quebec suggests a significant drop across the country.

Impact of Incentive Program Pauses

Both GM and Tesla saw a general slowdown in EV sales at the beginning of 2025, largely due to the temporary suspension of key government incentive programs.

• Federal iZEV Program: Canada paused its Incentives for Zero-Emission Vehicles (iZEV) rebate program in January, which offered up to $5,000 on EV purchases or leases. The program’s funds were fully committed, leading to its suspension before a planned March 31, 2025, end date.
• Quebec “Roulez vert” Program: Quebec, a crucial market for EV adoption, also suspended its provincial incentive program from February 1 to March 31, 2025. While it resumed on April 1st, 2025, with reduced amounts ($4,000 for BEVs), the temporary halt had a notable impact on sales.

While these pauses affected the overall EV market, Tesla appears to have been hit harder, possibly due to its higher price points, narrower model lineup (only four models, with only two being high-volume), and potential negative sentiment linked to CEO Elon Musk’s public statements. The ongoing US-Canada tariff war has also contributed to Tesla’s challenges in the Canadian market.

EV.com Insight

GM plans to further expand its EV lineup in Canada with upcoming models such as the Cadillac Escalade IQL, Lyriq-V, and Vistiq. Additionally, the next-generation Chevrolet Bolt EV is expected to debut later this year, with deliveries commencing in 2026. This aggressive product rollout and adoption of lower-cost LFP battery chemistry positions GM to maintain its momentum in the Canadian EV market.