General Motors Pulls The Plug On Chevrolet In China

Chevrolet’s parent company, General Motors, has announced its exit from the Chinese automotive market. However, the brand will continue manufacturing vehicles in China and export them to international markets, preferably outside the United States. This decision comes amid sharply declining sales for the brand, with the latest figures showing sales of fewer than 9,000 units in 2025.

The move comes in alignment with the agreement between General Motors and SAIC Motor. Commenting on the development, John Roth, Executive Vice President of GM Global and President of GM China, highlighted the strengths of the local operation. “We see vast opportunities to move beyond China and face the world,” Roth said to National Business Daily on August 10.

He also explained that SAIC-GM’s strong local capabilities in engineering, manufacturing and quality can be leveraged to enter markets in the Middle East, Africa, South America, Mexico and the Asia-Pacific region, supported by GM’s extensive global sales and after-sales networks.

Furthermore, GM and SAIC Motor have entered into a strategic renewal agreement, extending the SAIC-GM joint venture for another 20 years, until 2047. The announcement also included the brands’ future plans, with GM set to launch 30 New Energy Vehicles (NEVs) under the Cadillac and Buick brands by 2030.

Meanwhile, Chevrolet has assured its existing customers in China that it will continue to provide after-sales services to its 7.5 million customers. However, the brand will not launch any new products in the Chinese market.

In a nutshell, Chevrolet’s presence in the Chinese automotive market has undergone significant changes since its introduction in 2005. The Chevrolet Cruze was one of the key growth drivers for the brand, with sales peaking in 2014 at 767,000 units.