Canada Allows Chinese EVs, Don’t Call it an EV Slowdown, GPT Ads are Here

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Episode #1247: Canada slashes EV tariffs in a controversial China deal, OpenAI kicks off its ad-supported ChatGPT Go plan, and Recurrent CEO Scott Case calls out the real EV story: a booming used market dealers can’t afford to miss.

Show Notes with links:

• In a surprise move, Canada struck a deal with China to allow 49,000 Chinese-made EVs into the country annually at a dramatically lower tariff—down from 106% to just 6.1%—in exchange for agricultural trade concessions. The move has stirred both optimism and outrage across the automotive industry.
  • The deal drew sharp criticism from Unifor and industry leaders, who say it rewards unfair labor practices.
  • Critics say it could hurt Canadian auto jobs and complicate USMCA negotiations with the U.S.
  • One of the qualifications is that the vehicles be priced around $30k CAD (25K USD)
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• Don’t call it a slow down says , Scott Case, CEO of Recurrent in is Automotive News Op Ed. Despite media headlines suggesting electric vehicle demand is cooling, Case says the narrative is missing the real story and it is that used EVs are booming as he urges dealers to ignore short-term noise and prepare for a long-term shift.
  • Case argues that demand isn’t falling, it’s shifting to lower-cost used EVs as new prices soar.
  • The used EV market is set to grow 5x, driven by a wave of off-lease EVs hitting the market in 2026.
  • “Winning in the EV market means selling $30K vehicles with 300-mile range and Tesla charging access. In 2026, that means used EVs.” —Scott Case, Recurrent CEO

• OpenAI just opened the ad door inside ChatGPT as it launches its lowest-cost plan worldwide. That’s right, ads are coming to the AI assistant for free and Go users in the U.S., marking a major monetization pivot ahead of a planned IPO.
  • ChatGPT Go is now available globally at $8/month and includes GPT‑5.2 Instant access.
  • Ads will appear as “Sponsored Recommendations” under responses for Go and free users.
  • Sam Altman once called ads a “last resort,” but now says he’s okay with them “if it doesn’t violate user trust.”
• “Ads support our commitment to making AI accessible… by helping us keep ChatGPT available at free and affordable price points.” —OpenAI blog

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