GAC's first launch in Europe will be an electric car

Despite having presented the GAC GS5 at the Paris Motor Show, the executives of the Chinese manufacturer assure that they will debut in the European market with an electric car.

GAC Motor made its debut at the Motor Show with the GS5 SUV, an SUV that will compete in the mid-size SUV segment with models such as the Nissan Qashqai, the Mazda CX-5 or the Honda CR-V. However, the Chinese manufacturer will not enter the European continent with an internal combustion SUV, but with a 100% electric vehicle.

The arrival of the GAC GS5 in Europe is unknown; an electric car will arrive first

GAC GS5

The GAC GS5 will go on sale in the Asian market at the end of this month, but its arrival on the old continent is still a mystery. In fact, everything points to its arrival not being imminent, quite the opposite. In this context, the statements of GAC’s president are even more surprising, as he claims they will enter the European market with an electric car, and not with the aforementioned GS5.

“We are studying how to enter the European market, and most likely it will be with an electric vehicle first,” says GAC’s president, Yu Jun, in statements to the publication Automotive News.

GAC GS5

GAC’s goal: to sell 50% of its cars abroad

To date, GAC is present in 16 emerging markets, where it has achieved a 10% share of its total sales. According to the Chinese manufacturer’s president, GAC’s goal is for its overseas sales to account for 50% of its total sales in the future.

GAC GS5

GAC’s arrival in Europe and the US is delayed

GAC has not yet entered a more developed market such as Europe or the United States, and everything suggests that its first launch in these regions will be delayed. At the 2018 Detroit Motor Show, GAC said it would launch the GS8 (a large SUV) at the end of 2018 for the North American market. However, trade disputes between the US and China “could delay the launch of GAC’s first vehicle in the US until the first half of 2020”.