Buying new PATS keys

[SiriusBlack]

Hi all,

I bought a couple of PATS keys from AliExpress for my North American 2018 C-Max that look identical to the ones that came with my car.
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000061764423.html

Sadly, my automotive locksmith couldn't get my car to recognize them.

I understand that "cheap Chinese keys" are known to be problematic.... but does anyone know why?
Do they work for/with *some* cars? Is it because my C-Max is North American, not European?
Is there a way to make my car recognize those keys? Or a source of cheaper keys that my car can/will recognize?
Has anyone else had any luck?

My dealer wants CAD $230 (About USD $180) per new key, which seems rather excessive... there has to be a cheaper source out there somewhere that actually works.

Thanks in advance for any help, tips, or pointers. Suggestions on where I could learn more about the PATS system and different kinds of keys would also be most welcome.

-Sirius