General Motors is looking to step into the pickup truck segment in China, according to documents found on the Chinese Ministry of Industry and Information Technology website.
As reported by Automotive News, General Motors is looking to engage in a joint venture with SAIC Motor and Guangxi Automobile Group to build pickups for the Chinese market. The group recently sought approval to build its first pickup model Zhengtu.
For the moment, the pickup segment in China remains quite niche, with pickups representing less than two percent of sales in China.
According to the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers, roughly 250,000 pickups were sold in China during the first seven months of the 2020 calendar year. That figure represents a small 1.4 percent fall compared to the same time period last year, but was well above the overall automotive sales drop of 12.7 percent during the same period.
Nevertheless, General Motors appears interested in pushing forward with new entries in the segment.
Currently, the Chinese pickup segment is dominated by Great Wall Motor, which saw pickup sales up 38 percent in the first seven months of 2020, driven primarily by its new P-Series models.
Geely Auto Group is also reportedly interested in stepping into the Chinese pickup segment. The company recently showed off its first pickup model at a company event, and has a new production facility under construction in the city eastern city of Zibo, which will be capable of producing 100,000 units annually. That includes new pickup models as well.
However, even as the Chinese government eases restrictions on pickup truck models and allows entry into urban areas, demand for the body style is expected to remain a niche affair.
“There is still a lack of demand for pickup trucks from normal Chinese customers,” said secretary general at China Passenger Car Association, Cui Dongshu. “They are more familiar with SUVs and sedans.”
Comments
Can’t GM just modify Colorado or it’s car-based Latam market truck?
Can’t GM just stay out of China.
The SAIC T60 and T70 models (LDV/Maxus) are based on the Colorado, with single- and twin- turbodiesel engines from the GM-SAIC alliance.
commies do not like PUs you can stick 20 opposition members in the back with ARs.
A Pox on GM and its support for the Communist Chinese Government.
The Chinese Communist Government is NOT a friend of America and
until they change their ways (not likely to happen) American business
should not support them.
But I guess it’s all about the $$$$$$.
How about we stay out of China?
GM has been in China for years because China was a new Growth market. What is sad is what they had to give the Chinese, because up until President Trump trying to fix these bad trade deal that other weak American Presidents OK. American companies had to have a joint venture with a Chinese company while at the same time the Chinese could here and buy anything they wanted. GM couldn’t even build in Mexico and export to CHINA, S Korea or Europe. I hope all American Voter keep this in mine when Voting in November. Then we even paid more to the United Nations. Why because past American didn’t have the backbone to fix.
If the Chinese are going to send all there crap to the U.S. and in turn ruining the manufacturing industry creating mass job losses then the U.S. should do the same to China. In the capitalist world it’s war on China.