May 8, 2026 | The week’s top stories and Infiniti Canada’s Ken Hearn
About this episode
Canadian EV policy and Infiniti’s next moves drive the conversation, with Ottawa’s opening for China-built EVs, Tesla pricing, and pressure from tariffs shaping the market backdrop. The second half focuses on Infiniti Canada’s Ken Hearn, who outlines the QX-65 launch, heritage-inspired design, Canadian pricing, and how the brand is balancing incentives, trim mix, and future powertrains like hybrids and e-POWER.
Chinese EVs are closer; Honda halts $15B plan; Tesla’s cheap Model 3 Plus, Infiniti Canada Managing Director Ken Hearn talks about the QX65, tariffs, the brand’s expanding lineup, affordability, and more.
Infiniti QX-65
"Coming to you from just outside Windsor Ontario, the automotive capital of Canada. Today on the show we hear from Infinity Canada Managing Director Ken Hearn. He recently spoke with Automotive News Canada publisher Tim Domopoulos, the two chatted during a launch event for the Infinity QX-65."
The Infiniti QX-65 is a luxury SUV from Infiniti. In this segment, the hosts talk about the different versions (trims) and what’s new with it.
Infiniti QX-65 is Infiniti’s midsize luxury SUV, positioned as a family-friendly alternative to other premium crossovers. In this episode it’s the focus of a launch event, with discussion around trims and new powertrains.
electric vehicles
"China automakers are moving closer to selling electric vehicles in Canada. That's after Ottawa opened the door to 49,000 China-built EVs."
Electric vehicles are cars that run on electricity stored in a battery. This part of the show is about how more EVs from China may be sold in Canada, depending on government rules.
Electric vehicles (EVs) are cars that use one or more electric motors powered by a battery, instead of a gasoline engine. The segment discusses how Chinese automakers are getting closer to selling EVs in Canada and how policy affects that rollout.
EV and battery plants
"The investment included EV and battery plants planned for Alliston, Ontario. Production was once targeted for 2028."
This means factories for making electric cars and the batteries they need. The episode mentions Honda planning both kinds of plants in Ontario.
EV and battery plants refer to factories that build electric vehicles and the battery cells/modules they use. The segment notes Honda’s planned investment in Alliston, Ontario, including both vehicle and battery production capacity.
tariffs
"Honda has not confirmed the report, but the government of Canada says US tariffs and policy changes are creating mounting pressure on automakers and their EV investments."
Tariffs are extra taxes on imported products. The hosts say tariffs and new rules can make it harder for car companies to plan and invest in electric vehicles.
Tariffs are taxes a government places on imported goods. In the episode, tariffs and policy changes are described as increasing pressure on automakers’ EV investments, especially for companies planning production and battery supply chains in Canada.
Tesla Model
"...new Chinese EV policy is Tesla. A new China-built Tesla Model 3 will start at just over $42,000, making it one ..."
The Tesla Model Y is an electric SUV made by Tesla. Instead of using gasoline, it runs on electricity from a battery. It’s often mentioned in pricing and policy discussions because changes in trade rules can affect how much it costs to buy.
The Tesla Model Y is a compact electric SUV built by Tesla, known for its all-electric powertrain and wide availability. In discussions about EV policy and pricing, it often comes up because Tesla’s production and pricing strategy can affect how affordable electric vehicles are in Canada. It’s a key model for understanding how tariff and trade changes may influence EV supply and cost.
Tesla Model 3
"Finally, in retail news, one of the first automakers expected to benefit from Canada's new Chinese EV policy is Tesla. A new China-built Tesla Model 3 will start at just over $42,000, making it one of the cheapest EVs available in Canada, even without federal rebates."
The Tesla Model 3 is an electric car model from Tesla. They’re saying a China-built version could be priced just above $42,000 in Canada, making it unusually affordable for an EV.
Tesla Model 3 is Tesla’s mass-market electric sedan and one of the most widely recognized EVs in North America. The episode highlights a China-built version starting at just over $42,000 in Canada, positioning it as one of the cheapest EVs available there.
100% surtax
"Tesla previously imported vehicles from China before Ottawa imposed a 100% surtax in 2024. Canada opened its permit system for China-made electric vehicles"
A 100% surtax is an extra tax on top of the usual import costs—so the imported items get about twice as expensive. The hosts mention it because it affected how Tesla brought cars into Canada.
A 100% surtax is an extra tariff-like charge that effectively doubles the cost of the imported goods it applies to. In this segment, it’s mentioned as a policy Ottawa imposed in 2024 that changed how Tesla sourced vehicles for Canada.
permit system
"Canada opened its permit system for China-made electric vehicles March 1st. And that's a look at some of the top Canadian automotive stories of the week."
A permit system is a government rule that requires approval before certain products can be brought in or sold. In this clip, Canada is described as opening the permit process for China-made electric vehicles starting March 1.
A permit system is a government approval process that controls which vehicles or products are allowed to be imported or sold under specific rules. Here, Canada’s permit system for China-made electric vehicles is described as being opened starting March 1, which signals a regulatory change affecting market access.
Infiniti FX
"We think we have a home run on our hands. And it's differentiating itself in a couple of ways, bringing back the heritage design of the FX that stood out so well as that beautiful design..."
The Infiniti FX is an older Infiniti SUV model. In this clip, they’re saying the new QX65 is borrowing design cues from the FX so it feels like a return to that earlier style.
The Infiniti FX refers to Infiniti’s earlier luxury SUV line that’s known for its distinctive, heritage-inspired styling. Here, the speaker says the QX65 is bringing back that FX design heritage, implying the QX65’s look is intentionally styled to feel familiar to fans of that earlier model.
importing vehicles from the U.S.
"I wouldn't call it an unfortunate time, but it is a challenging time to be importing vehicles from the U.S. just from a cost standpoint."
Shipping cars from the U.S. to Canada can cost more than building and selling locally. The host is saying those extra costs can reduce profit, so they adjust pricing and how the lineup is offered.
Importing vehicles from the U.S. to Canada can raise the total cost to the automaker due to exchange rates, duties/tariffs, logistics, and compliance costs. In this segment, the host ties those higher costs to squeezed profit margins (“margins”) and explains why pricing and trim strategy have to adjust for the Canadian market.
margins
"And it's affecting margins for everybody, not just Infinity and John's, just Nissan, but anybody who produces in the U.S. and ships up here."
“Margins” means how much profit is left after all the costs. The host is saying higher import costs are making that profit smaller, so they have to plan carefully.
In automotive business terms, “margins” refers to the profit left after accounting for costs like manufacturing, shipping, and marketing. The host says importing during a challenging cost period is squeezing margins across automakers, so Infiniti has to manage pricing and product strategy to keep the cars available for Canadian buyers.
MSRP
"So, we made sure that the MSRP on our vehicle that you'll find out about shortly is priced to the market in Canada."
MSRP is the official “sticker price” the manufacturer sets for a car. The point here is that they adjusted that sticker price so it still makes sense for buyers in Canada.
MSRP (Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price) is the sticker price a manufacturer recommends before taxes, fees, and dealer-specific charges. Here, the host says Infiniti priced the vehicle’s MSRP to fit the Canadian market despite higher costs from importing vehicles from the U.S.
take rates
"Now, you've also simplified the grade walks a little bit in terms of what kind of trims are on offer and what kind of choice resides within that trim. Tell us a little bit about that and tell me a little bit about where you think the take rates can be."
A take rate is how many people pick one option or trim out of all buyers. Here, they’re talking about how popular each trim level might be once the lineup is simplified.
Take rate is the percentage of customers who choose a particular trim or option when multiple choices are offered. The host asks about expected take rates as Infiniti simplifies the trim lineup, aiming to predict which grades will sell most in Canada.
Infiniti QX80
"So, we've got an entry-level luxe, sport well-equipped. So, think of the sport like the QX60 and the QX80 and then the autograph on the top."
The Infiniti QX80 is Infiniti’s bigger luxury SUV. The host mentions it to help you understand what the “sport” trim level is aiming to match.
Infiniti QX80 is Infiniti’s large, full-size luxury SUV known for a more spacious, family-focused layout. In this segment, it’s used as another benchmark to explain what the “sport” grade should represent in terms of equipment and market positioning.
Infiniti QX60
"So, we've got an entry-level luxe, sport well-equipped. So, think of the sport like the QX60 and the QX80 and then the autograph on the top."
The Infiniti QX60 is a luxury SUV. Here, it’s mentioned as a benchmark for what the “sport” trim is like and what kind of features you can expect.
Infiniti QX60 is a midsize luxury SUV that’s often used as a reference point for how a brand’s “sport” trim should feel and be equipped. In this segment, Ken Hearn uses it to describe the positioning of an Infiniti model’s trim level relative to a known, well-equipped SUV.
hybrid
"So, we laid out, you know, QX80, [477.0s] high output, high horsepower, sedan version, a mid-size SUV with a hybrid, two body on frame [484.3s] products coming right around the corner as well."
A hybrid uses two kinds of power: a gas engine and an electric motor. The electric part helps the car move and can improve fuel economy.
A hybrid powertrain uses both an internal-combustion engine and an electric motor. The electric motor can assist acceleration and recapture energy, which can improve efficiency compared with a purely gasoline setup.
body-on-frame
"So, we laid out, you know, QX80, [477.0s] high output, high horsepower, sedan version, a mid-size SUV with a hybrid, two body on frame [484.3s] products coming right around the corner as well."
Body-on-frame means the car’s body sits on a separate, sturdy frame underneath. It’s a common design for heavier SUVs and trucks, and it can help with durability and certain drivetrain layouts.
Body-on-frame is a vehicle construction method where the body mounts to a separate ladder-like frame. It’s commonly used for trucks and SUVs because it can handle heavier loads and towing, and it can make packaging certain powertrains easier.
e-power technology
"but you know, picture a hybrid technology, picture e-power technology, you know, picture a V6, [533.5s] all of these things packaged up in Infinity platform."
“e-POWER” is Infiniti’s way of describing a hybrid system where an electric motor does most of the driving. The gas engine mainly acts like a generator, so you don’t have to plug it in.
“e-POWER” is Infiniti/Nissan’s branding for a hybrid system where the electric motor drives the wheels, while a gasoline engine primarily generates electricity. It’s designed to deliver electric-like response without requiring the car to be plugged in like a typical battery-electric vehicle.
V6
"but you know, picture a hybrid technology, picture e-power technology, you know, picture a V6, [533.5s] all of these things packaged up in Infinity platform."
A V6 is a type of gas engine with six cylinders. It’s a popular engine layout because it can provide strong power while fitting well in many car designs.
A V6 is an engine with six cylinders arranged in a “V” shape. It’s a common configuration for mid-to-large vehicles because it can balance smoothness and power with packaging flexibility.
conquest customers
"look of, you know, in terms of new customers to the brand, conquest customers."
Conquest customers are shoppers who switch brands—typically moving from a competitor to a new brand. The host is discussing how Infiniti’s new-customer growth in Canada may come from these conquest buyers, not just from people already loyal to Infiniti.
incentives
"are you guys putting any money on the hood or are you working on incentives for any of the vehicles that are here or coming?"
Incentives are discounts or promotional offers used by automakers to reduce the effective price and stimulate sales. The host notes that incentives are part of Infiniti’s overall strategy in Canada, and that the QX-65 may use a different approach early in its launch.
QX-50
"With the tariff situation and everything that transpired with that, we got some additional QX-50s, and we were able to grow that almost 300% in the last year."
The Infiniti QX-50 is a smaller luxury SUV/crossover. They’re saying they were able to get more QX-50s during the tariff situation, which helped sales grow a lot.
Infiniti QX-50 is Infiniti’s compact luxury crossover, typically positioned as a smaller, more efficient alternative to the brand’s larger SUVs. In this discussion, QX-50 availability (including additional units) is linked to tariff-related supply changes and rapid sales growth in Canada.
margin compression
"Do you think you will see pricing kind of increase to make up that margin compression that we're seeing now with some of the products coming from the US, or you're going to be an opportunity to expand the margins by price increases?"
Margin compression means the company is making less profit per vehicle than before. They’re asking whether prices will go up to fix that, or whether the company can protect profits another way.
Margin compression means profit margins shrink—often because costs rise (like import costs from tariffs) faster than prices can be increased. The speaker is asking whether future pricing will rise to offset that margin squeeze or whether they’ll find other ways to protect profitability.
jurisdiction
"Well, what I would say is yes to your question in terms of the jurisdiction. We need to kind of play out there, but there's also the component that we need to have vehicles in Canada that are priced versus the competition..."
Here, “jurisdiction” just means the country/region the rules apply to. They’re saying pricing has to work relative to competitors depending on where their cars are made and sold.
In this context, “jurisdiction” means the country or legal region where the vehicles are manufactured and taxed. The speaker uses it to frame how pricing and competition change depending on which market’s rules apply.
packaged with the competition
"We need to kind of play out there, but there's also the component that we need to have vehicles in Canada that are priced versus the competition that are packaged with the competition."
“Packaged” means what features and options the car includes, compared with rival cars. They’re saying they have to price Infiniti cars so the overall deal matches what competitors offer.
“Packaged” here refers to how a vehicle is bundled with features, trims, and included options compared to rival brands. The speaker’s point is that pricing alone isn’t enough—customers compare what they get for the money.
Request an Explanation
Heard something you'd like explained? We'll add it to this episode.
Sign in to request explanations for terms you heard.
Want to learn more?
Browse our glossary for plain-English explanations of automotive terms, jargon, and concepts.
Help improve this episode
See something that's not quite right? Our annotations are AI-generated and can sometimes miss the mark. Click the flag icon on any annotation to suggest a correction.