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How SAIC’s recharged venture with GM plans to catch up with top EV makers in China
Renewed partnership aims to roll out 30 EVs by 2030, pairing China’s supply chain muscle with GM’s global reach and loyal base
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Themis QiPublished: 7:01am, 6 Aug 2026China’s SAIC Motor has extended its cooperation with General Motors by 20 years, renewing the joint venture through 2047 amid aggressive competition from home-grown rivals.
SAIC and GM, the largest carmakers in China and the United States, respectively, in terms of sales volume, signed the agreement on Wednesday, building on a partnership that began in 1995 and led to the SAIC-GM joint venture in 1997.
Wang Xiaoqiu, chairman of state-owned SAIC, said both sides should leverage their strengths in technology, branding, global distribution and local resources, opening new avenues for development with a global perspective.
The venture would launch at least 30 electric vehicle (EV) models in China by 2030, with the goal of “joining the major players” in the world’s largest EV market, GM said in a statement.
The renewal comes as sales from SAIC-GM and affiliates slumped from a peak of more than 4 million vehicles in 2017 to about 2.17 million units last year, according to data from SAIC. GM’s global car sales also shrank sharply to about 6.2 million units last year from over 10 million units in 2016.
Even if Chinese cars cannot enter the American market, the Chinese market is large enough that Chinese and US carmakers can continue to cooperate amicably
As of June, domestic brands like BYD and Leapmotor commanded nearly 70 per cent of the home market, thanks to their dominance in EV technologies, according to the China Passenger Car Association.AdvertisementSelect VoiceSelect Speed00:0000:001.00x