- Chevrolet is reportedly ending sales in China.
- Move comes after sales dropped 98.8% in 11 years.
- GM is more focused on Buick and Cadillac.
Chevrolet is an iconic American brand, but General Motors is waving the white flag in China after a steep drop in sales.
According to a report from Automobilwoche, the brand is ending sales in the country after nearly 21 years. While that idea was once unthinkable, the publication reports that sales went from over 767,000 units in 2014 to less than 9,000 last year. That’s a decline of roughly 98.8% in little more than a decade.
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The writing has been on the wall for awhile, and GM recently said they’ll “sharpen its focus on the Buick and Cadillac brands in China.” They’re far more successful and the company has a hit with the new Electra lineup.
Chevrolet offered a number of different models in China including some that would be familiar to Americans. These include the Blazer, Equinox, Malibu XL, and Seeker (Trax). They were joined by the Monza, Menlo EV, Equinox Plug-in Hybrid, and Tracker. Most of those are gas-powered, despite the fact that Chinese consumers embraced New Energy Vehicles.
While the bowtie brand will end sales in China, GM-SAIC will reportedly continue to build Chevrolets in the country. As the automaker explained, their lineup is “optimally tailored to the needs of export markets.”
Needless to say, GM isn’t giving up on China following the failure of Chevrolet. Quite the opposite as GM and SAIC recently extended their partnership for 20 years.
At the time, the companies said the move would allow them to “accelerate technological transformation, explore new growth opportunities, and deliver sustainable profitability.” GM-SAIC also revealed plans to launch at least 30 new energy vehicles by 2030 and “deploy more technology solutions developed in China for the Chinese market.”
