Several Chinese outlets are reporting that General Motors is preparing to pull its Chevrolet brand (aka Chevy) out of China.
Currently represented by several joint ventures. Two of GM’s most important JVs are SAIC-GM and SAIC-GM-Wuling. The former handles the Chevy, Buick and Cadillac brands, while the latter is responsible for Wuling and Baojun.
Three-row Chevy Blazer exclusive to the Chinese market.
Sales Slump & Price Wars
Unlike in the U.S. market, where Chevy is the undisputed sales volume leader for General Motors, the Bow Tie brand was never a sales leader for its parent company in China. That title has typically belonged to Buick, which has been the automaker’s best-selling brand in the Chinese market, outselling Chevy by at least a factor of five. Both brands have experienced a significant sales slump recently.
For instance, during the third quarter of 2024, Buick reported a sales drop of 55 percent to 67,800 deliveries in China, while Chevy saw sales tank 84 percent to 8,100 units. GM and its subsidiaries simply stopped sharing granular sales data thereafter, including for Q4 2024 and Q1 2025.
Currently, Chevy’s average monthly sales volume is hovering below 1,500 units, and its market position has been significantly weakened by the ultra-competitive local market environment, which has pushed the starting price of the Cadillac XT4 to 150,000 yuan (around $20,000, at current exchange rates), bringing it within striking distance of Chevy’s mainstream models.
Reports from China state that GM’s alleged decision to withdraw Chevrolet from the Chinese market will be presented as a “strategic adjustment” to the automaker’s presence in China.
Chevy Equinox (ICE)
End Of Production & Cancelled Models
A source close to the decision cited by Chinese media says that all Chevrolet vehicles that have not yet started production (SORP, or Start of Regular Production) have been delayed indefinitely. These allegedly include:
- C223 – the code name of the Equinox EV
- D2UC-2 ICE – the code name of the internal combustion Chevrolet Equinox
- C1YC-2 – the code name of the three-row Chevy Blazer specific to the Chinese market
Meanwhile, Chevrolet vehicles that are in production today in China will soon be discontinued (EOP, or End of Production).
Chevy Equinox EV
GM Denies Rumors
For its part, GM is denying the rumors. Reports quote SAIC-GM General Manager Lu Xiao as saying that “rumors that the Chevrolet brand will withdraw from China are false news,” promising that “we will not give up Chevrolet.”
In particular, the “we will not give up Chevrolet” comment is being interpreted in China as not dropping aftersales support to existing Chevy owners, instead transitioning them to Buick service and aftersales centers, while trying to sell them Buicks thereafter.
We’ll keep our ears to the ground and report back as we learn more, so be sure to subscribe (it’s totally free!) to GM Authority for the latest Chevy news, GM China news, and 24/7 GM news coverage.
Comments
The U.S. government should consider forcing a decoupling of General Motors (GM) from its joint venture with SAIC Motor in the Chinese market due to national security and economic concerns. SAIC, a state-owned enterprise, operates under the influence of the Chinese Communist Party, which has a track record of leveraging joint ventures to extract technology and intellectual property from foreign firms. GM’s partnership, established in 1997, has allowed SAIC to gain significant expertise in automotive manufacturing and innovation, often at the expense of GM’s proprietary technologies. The Chinese government’s policies, such as the Made in China 2025 initiative, explicitly aim to dominate high-tech industries, including electric vehicles (EVs), where GM has invested heavily. This creates a risk that sensitive technologies, including those related to EVs and autonomous driving, could be transferred to SAIC and potentially shared with the Chinese military or other state entities, undermining U.S. strategic interests. Furthermore, the partnership exposes GM to supply chain vulnerabilities, as China’s control over critical components like batteries could be weaponized in geopolitical conflicts, threatening U.S. economic stability.
Decoupling would also protect GM’s long-term competitiveness and align with broader U.S. efforts to reduce reliance on Chinese markets. The Chinese auto market, while lucrative, is increasingly dominated by domestic players like BYD, which benefit from heavy government subsidies and preferential policies. GM’s joint venture with SAIC, once a market leader, has seen declining profits—its China operations reported a $347 million loss in 2023—while facing intense competition from state-backed firms. By forcing a decoupling, the U.S. government could encourage GM to redirect investments toward domestic production or markets less controlled by adversarial governments, preserving jobs and innovation at home. Additionally, this move would signal to other U.S. firms the risks of over-dependence on China, fostering a broader shift toward supply chain resilience. While GM might face short-term financial losses, the long-term benefits of safeguarding intellectual property and reducing exposure to China’s unpredictable regulatory environment outweigh the costs, especially given the growing tensions between the U.S. and China.
This is a publication . 500 words or less. If you want to write a novel do it else wear.
No BUDDY has time to read all your BUll s__T. MANIFESTO. Fang Dango.
We get it. Words are hard.
I’m surprised you took the time from watching Dukes Of Hazard reruns to type a reply….lol. Have a great day BUUUUUUDDY!
Most excellant Cowboy Mafia 918 LOOOVVVEEE you comment . Finally someone who has a SUPER sense of HUMOUR Well done.
Daisy Duke was something else. wink wink
This should have been done over 25 years ago. Once the PRC/CCP adopted the Buick Century as its’ defacto “government“ car, GM management was hooked. There’s no such thing as a free lunch.
Every Western automaker is in bed with SAIC and they own MG which is growing globally. GM has no technology of national security value, if anything SAIC is leading most US, Japanese and EU brands. Your comment is silly! Germany and France own stake in their automakers. Would you see Stellantis broken up? US gov will probably endup bailing out/owning Ford at some point since it now only does well with trucks and vans yet carries a lot of debt. You’re acting like car tech 8s nuclear technology
I knew this was going to happen in the 90’s when GM started building forced alliances in China. We helped them start their auto industry and they are now telling us to go pound sand. Corporate greed with no forethought. Communist China, at the time wanted out intellectual property to then dominate w CCP money and support. As Trump said…Stupid Leaders.
to late now
Thanks for taking the time to write!
I read it and the writer summarizes how we let China take advantage of the U.S. manufacturers. GM isn’t the only company that gave away proprietary knowledge. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the I.R.S tax laws regarding depreciation and lack of requirements for capital reinvestment into plant and equipment encouraged off-shoring of America’s industry starting as far back as the 1970’s.
We did this to ourselves.
Mary & the EV’s need to GO!
OH NO OH NO john has got to go. Go Go dumbzilla.
John I 100% agree. Sedans Coupes and Convertibles also need to return especially to Cadillac and Buick as well as Ford’s Luxury brand Lincoln. Bringing back Pontiac would be Great too.
With V-8’s please. Cadillac and Lincoln with V-12’s please.
That would be Amazing to see happen. Cadillac, Buick and Lincoln should go back to their roots and build cars like they once did 30, 40+ years ago in addition to offering Sedans, Coupes and Convertibles again. It’s terrible that they’re going All-Electric offering just expensive, boring and generic looking Crossovers and SUVs. Cadillac, Buick and Lincoln should continue to offer Gasoline engines through 2030 and adopt Plug-In Hybrid models in addition to offering Gasoline engines and completely delay and back away from Electric vehicles. I’d Never buy an Electric Vehicle and Never will. Making Cadillac, Buick and Lincoln All-Electric only will completely ruin these brands and make people look elsewhere at other car brands and they will lose their loyal customer base and traditional buyers. If they continue to offer Gasoline Powered Cars and adopt Plug-in Hybrid Technology then that’s All I’ll buy from Cadillac, Buick and Lincoln. I still Love Mid-Size as well as Large Executive Flagship Sedans, Coupes and Convertibles.
Couldn’t have said it better myself! CS Lewis in the screwtap letters talked about spreading goodwill amongst your enemies vs your friends and how long term it accomplishes nothing and drains you in return. Ch1n@ over the past decade has been amongst the worst offeders of all kinds of economic and societal crimes. From using Uyghurs as forced labor to unleashing COVID, to running state secret police stations in Dallas, New York and Seattle, the whole country is a big leach. We need to bind ourselves economically with countries that at least don’t wish us ill like India and Brazil.
Your MAGA buddy Rand Paul blames Covid on Fauci, not China. He wrote a 300 page book on that and he just repeats himself over and over. The book should be called 10,000 ways to smear Fauci. I wasted $30. Hopefully Barnes and Nobel gives me my money back.
Paper can be recycled if all else fails.
How would this happen?
Looking at recent events, I do not believe that relations between the US and other countries, such as India and Brazil, will remain stagnant for some time, if not worsen. These are countries that want to develop on their own and increase their global influence, especially in an increasingly multipolar world, and it seems to me that the US does not want this kind of thing, since it could lose part of its influence.
GM…I would highly suggest you give up the Chop Suey and go back to eating McDonalds Cheese Burgers and French Fries. It’s a lot better for you.
From your comment eveyone is confused . Are you trying to be clever.?? Me thinks your
BRAIN IS FRIED . From eating TOO MANY CHEESY BURGERS. Would you like a BRAIN with dous fries??
It would be al lot better for you. How is your comment ( helpful) related to the REAL Auto industry??? COMRADE. WAH WAH WAH
FIX YOUR QUALITY ISSUES in America first–before you decide to expand globally again.
As things stand today GM should should concentrate on designing and building cars and trucks for North America (i.e., Canada, USA, Mexico), Central America, and South America. Let’s call it the “Monroe Doctrine“ for vehicles.
Only one of those three American subcontinents is lucrative enough to actually make enough money to run an automaker. The other two are small potatoes.
But let me play devil’s advocate for a minute: why can’t GM be a truly global business much like Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Porsche, and Audi are global brands and businesses whose products are (generally) liked and desired the world over, no matter the market? Chevy and Cadillac can very well do the same. No one in Germany is suggesting that those brands should be sold exclusively in Germany or Europe…
GM was once that company until the GTO. GM learned to take a mediocre mid sized LeMans/Tempest and throw a bigger motor in it and plaster it with decals and sell it for thousands more. They can make money with lousy cars and continued that pattern until they lost the market and their reputation. I once rented a Celebrity Euro Sport and my then European girlfriend called it “Euro Trash” when I picked her up for a burrito at 7-11.
Throw a BIGGER motor in it????? Like the current three and four cylinder cars???? They’ve learned to stamp out a piece of sheet metal and add a weed eater motor to it!
Tim – is that any different than what everyone else is doing around the industry? Engine displacements have been getting smaller in the name of meeting ever more stringent CAFE and emissions standards.
In the case of the products where GM uses the three cylinder small displacement engines, they’re fine. These are not sports cars or muscle cars… and their drivers are perfectly happy. They’re not buying it for the engine.
Alex, all I was saying by that is, gm does not take a mediocre car and stick a bigger motor in it. And emissions standards suck, most of the time they are irrelevant and useless, if customers want fuel efficient cars they may buy them, lack of demand will take care of the big gas guzzlers if they need eliminated.
And Toyota learned to make a mediocre car with a 2 decades old rice burner in it, wait for an oil crisis then flood a market when the competition was caught blind sided. Then when oil went back down they bribed their heads of state to keep the bigger, funner American cars out. What’s your point?
Seriously? Given the cost of petroleum and narrowness of streets, big American cars were never going to sell in many countries, Europe and elsewhere.
Does She swear that in Euorpe you don’t see trash rental cars? MyGod….I ve been in Europe many times believe me …IF you want to pay less, you get a car also very poor indeed…..(Mitsubishis, MGs, VW etceteras )
If we’re being honest???? Tarrifs and protectionism. The Germans keep others out, ditto the Japanese and Toyota, and apparently the Chinese with wuling. It’s hard to be a global company when everyone else doesn’t play on fair ground.
not exclusively here in the states, just not communist china.
IMO Buick should pick up where Holden, Opel, etc left off like “GM premium mainstream international”. Go back into Europe and RHD nations. Have Chevy service truck, Latin and 3rd world nations. That should increase GMs international presence w/o China
You have MAGA on the brain. US is the only truly profitable part of the Americas and there is a LOT of competition.
S Korea serves as a good Asian beachhead w/pre existing factories already VFF tooled. China has always worried me, geopolitical problems like Taiwan are a risk, but shared r&d is worth while plus Boajun and Wurling supplies LATAM. I’ve always felt quitting Opel was a mistake. PSA shuttered a factory and leased surplus space for better utilization. Same policy should have been used for the massive Indian market, as well.
GM can’t put all eggs in one basket, so to speak, hoping for a forever strong economy while alone on development
While you would be correct there’s two problems with your argument, which C0mmunist, there’s no sharing R&D, only giving R&D, and as for the basket analogy, we’re not invited into any other baskets. In ch1n@, they only want to use us, the Germans don’t want us there, or anywhere close to there, nor do the japanese. So of the top 4 global economies, were only invited into 1.
Considering recent events, GM is likely to shrink even further in these markets. Both Central and South America are regions that have no major objections to Chinese entry. Just look at Brazil, which is currently the 6th largest automotive market and has been considered the gateway for Chinese manufacturers to enter Latin America. It is only a matter of time before it reaches the other countries in the region and even gets closer to countries with which the US had a strong relationship, such as Mexico. The trend is for GM to become increasingly focused on the US market.
Nobody wants to buy a Cavalier when they can get a sleek high tech BVD.
Yes …. Cause BYD is subsided by Pekin, while Chevy is financially punished.
GMs partner or master is SAIC. SAIC loaned GM to bail out their Korea operations.Thats when SAIC controlled 56% to GMs 44 %. Not
50-50.SAIC Has basically full control of GM. GM pulled out of Europe then Australia and India Thailand.
GM needs to eliminate all the Chinese junk they use in their cars & trucks, then 1/2 their problems would go away
Needs the diesel over there to stay competitive.
Badge engineering, when handled smartly, can be successfully. Buick should sell it’s line up and best of Chevrolet in China. In US, vehicles like Encore GX, Envista, Envision would thrive as Chevy. Buick is growing in the US but, if this stops, merger would be smart
Chinese tech is now much superior to GM or for that matter any other americans.
It was for sure that Chevy will lose MS across all outside NA markets because of their lousy quality and overpriced products. If they have to survive outside US, they have to cling to Chinese brands – to produce price competitive models. But GM can actually make it competitive only if they cut their own big baggage of staff and procedures and invest that money into latest tech products from China and not try to sell ‘also ran’ products like current Captiva & Groove .. especially S America, Mexico & MENA markets.
It needs to wake up and pull the plug on GM in China.
all gm, not just chevy
Ain’t the Chinese commies?
Is Buick will become the HEARTBREAK of China and or Buick build EXCITEMENT ???
If Chevy stops Equinox production in China, at least bring the hybrid Equinox to America, even have it built in Mexico along with the excellent Equinox EV.
From what I know, the Equinox PHEV for North America will use a different setup than the one in China. This was indirectly inferred by Chevy chief Scott Bell when I asked him about it last year:
https://gmauthority.com/blog/2024/08/heres-why-gm-isnt-bringing-the-chinese-chevy-equinox-phev-to-north-america-exclusive/
Not shocked at all that GM is currently having issues convincing customers to purchase a Chevrolet in the China marketplace.
GM (As Always) thinks they will just offer subpar vehicles and customers will just lineup in droves because they are a Legacy nameplate.
That has completely shifted in China. If you look deeply at the issue they are having it is quite simple, they offer subpar vehicles at not great prices. Now throw in the drastic change in market demands and Chevrolet is hanging on by life support.
GM is trying to shove ICE vehicles (Subpar at that) onto the Chinese customers who have completely flipped to wanting a BEV or an EREV
Shockingly GM misread the marketplace yet once again which is mind boggling.
If you study the consumer preferences in China you will find that they have a high preference for High Tech and modern design.
Chevrolet offers NEITHER unfortunately.
I will say this, if GM dies in China and Marry which made the decision to bolt from the European marketplace a while ago, she and ALL other top leadership MUST be replaced.
Misreading from the movement in the Chinese marketplace this badly is completely unacceptable. Mary was too concerned with stating in public they want to be ALL EV but the Lobbying the Government to loosen up regulations. Cannot have it both ways. Be for one or the other.
Might work in the States but not in China. Not with the new consumer demands.
Not sure how GM will or can survive becoming just a North American player.
GM will be spending hard earned R&D money on ICE while Chinese automakers will be growing an even bigger lead with their BEV progress. That equates to GM being out in Europe and China. Hopefully for GM and us as fans that want to see them around for another 100 years the younger Generation in the NA markets do not trend more towards Tesla (Meaning EV’S) because then GM will be dead and innocent people will be losing their great GM manufacturing jobs due to horrible leadership.
Wild times ahead!!!
china tariffs price out competitors and profits. American corporations let them steal to success.
Apparently tariffs do work when the rest of the world applies them.
GM in truth is nothing more than a STATE OWNED COMPANY CONTROLLED BY SAIC WHICH IS A CCP COMPANY. In 2027 GMs 30 year contract is up.what started out as a 50 50 partnership is no GM44% and SAIC 56% . THEY NOW control most of all engineering and designing in chinand they are rebadged of chevrolet’s ship to mexico and assembled for delivery to the united states. GM sold their soul to the devil for profits, And now the student has become the master. In.2027 GM has a choice so it seems take what SAIC SAYS OR THEY WILL PROBABLY GO BANKRUPT.
Mary thought China Joe was going to be president again. OOOps!
but he forgot that he backed out of running and nominated the other “creature” who didn’t earn the ballot.
trump ‘s crappy clothing line made in china!
trump,s fake bible and crappy tennis shoes made in china.
Chevrolet has to do what Cadillac is doing in the US to be competitive in China, they have to go full EV/Hybrid. The CCP govt in China is punishing ICE only vehicles with regulations, then you have global tensions between China and the US with the CCP fomenting Maoist style patriotic fervor amongst the Chinese customer base, and to top it off you have domestic Chinese manufacturers backed by the govt actually getting better with their offerings. My opinion is that of gm keeping the Wuling/SAIC link for co development of GEM vehicles while reducing their exposure to the whims and avarice of the CCP.