China's GAC to launch UK car sales with two Aion brand EVs
GAC's UK sales will start with two
Aion
brand electric models - the Aion V SUV, and the Aion UT hatchback, with deliveries expected in the first quarter of 2026.
"GAC's entry into the UK marks a crucial step in its internationalization strategy," Wayne Wei, president of GAC International said in a statement.
When asked if GAC could bring its Trumpchi, Hycan or Hyptec brands to Britain as well as Jameel, owned by the Saudi Jameel family, it said it was focused on the Aion brand for now.
GAC has already announced plans to sell in Portugal and Poland and in May it launched in Brazil.
Britain is Europe's second-largest EV market after Germany. One in four cars sold in Britain in June was electric and unlike the European Union, Britain has not imposed tariffs on Chinese-made EVs.
Several Chinese automakers have already launched sales in Britain, including China's No. 1 seller BYD.
The British government this week said it would spend 650 million pounds ($871 million) on EV subsidies of up to 3,750 pounds for cars costing 37,000 pounds or less, which could attract more brands.
Earlier this month, Geely launched its Geely brand in Britain with its electric EX5 SUV.
Changan will soon launch its electric Deepal S07 SUV and Chery, which already sells Omoda and Jaecoo brand cars in Britain, has said its Chery brand cars will start selling in the coming weeks.
GAC's global sales fell 20per cent in 2024 to 2 million vehicles, driven largely by declines in China at its joint ventures with Honda and Toyota, while its sales outside China rose 67per cent to 127,000 vehicles.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
&w=3840&q=100)
Business Standard
13 minutes ago
- Business Standard
UK-India FTA to boost medical device trade amid country of origin concerns
Bilateral trade in pharmaceuticals and medical devices is set to receive a boost post the UK-India Free Trade Agreement (FTA), according to industry veterans. India's imports of medical devices from the UK grew by 36 percent to Rs 2,295 crore in FY24, while exports to the UK increased by 13 percent to Rs 1,015 crore. Rajiv Nath, Chairman and MD of Hindustan Syringes and Medical Devices (HMD)—one of the top three disposable syringe makers in the world—and the forum coordinator of the medical devices industry body Association of Indian Medical Device Industry (AiMeD), believes that bilateral trade will rise on both sides post the FTA. "Our top exports to the UK were contact lenses, diagnostic reagents, surgical instruments, and PPE kits, while our major imports were oxygen therapy equipment like ventilators, X-ray equipment, diagnostic testing reagents, and IVD analysis instruments. Mostly, small and mid-sized manufacturers export through distributors in niche markets," Nath said. 'Previously, medical devices imported into the UK were duty-free, so tariff restrictions were not an issue, but regulatory approval costs and time were a challenge. We sought recognition of Indian CDSCO regulatory approval or QCI's voluntary Indian certification for medical devices to fast-track regulatory approval by the UK MHRA and address non-tariff barriers faced by Indian exporters, and we look forward to an update on this,' Nath added. Regarding imports into India, AiMeD has emphasized the need for strict monitoring and verification of Rules of Origin to prevent misuse of the FTA through the potential routing of third-country products as purportedly UK-made goods. 'We welcome UK-made medical products into India via this FTA,' he added. Import duties levied by India were mostly at 7.5 percent, which, post-FTA, are expected to come down in a phased manner. The industry is, however, awaiting the fine print. As part of this agreement, import duties on MedTech products will be reduced from approximately 15 percent to around 3 percent, significantly lowering costs and improving access to advanced medical technologies, said Pavan Choudary, Chairman of the Medical Technology Association of India (MTaI). For pharmaceutical exports, the UK is already an important and growing market. Companies like Torrent Pharmaceuticals, Dr Reddy's Laboratories, and Aurobindo have a presence in the UK. 'With India's pharmaceutical exports to the UK reaching $914 million in FY24, the agreement strengthens supply chains, enhances access to affordable medicines, and drives Foreign Direct Investment (FDI). This partnership paves the way for collaborations in bulk drug imports, CDMO, and joint research, empowering India's competitive edge and promoting global partnerships,' said Namit Joshi, Chairman of the Pharmaceutical Exports Promotion Council. Sudarshan Jain, Secretary General of the Indian Pharmaceutical Alliance, noted that the pharma sector will have opportunities to supply affordable and quality-assured medicine, contributing to better patient care in the UK. 'We are awaiting further details to identify specific areas where these opportunities can be effectively leveraged,' Jain said.
&w=3840&q=100)
Business Standard
43 minutes ago
- Business Standard
India's spiritual circuits to benefit as Chinese tourists make a comeback
Indian tour operators are cheering the government's move to issue tourist visas to Chinese citizens for the first time in five years – a sign of thawing relations between the two nations. 'It is a good move. China is one of our major trade partners, and tourism, which fosters people-to-people interaction, could lead to greater cooperation and understanding. But mere liberalisation of the visa regime is not enough. There should be a concentrated effort to create and actively promote itineraries and experiences geared to attract Chinese tourists,' said Ajay Prakash, vice president of the Federation of Associations in Indian Tourism & Hospitality (FAITH). India had received around 300,000 Chinese tourists in 2019, after which the Covid-19 pandemic prompted countries to close off their borders. However, the two most populous nations in the world did not lift travel restrictions for each other's citizens. 'Chinese tourists accounted for nearly 27 per cent of total foreign tourist arrivals to India in 2019, and we are very glad to welcome this move from the government as China is an important source market for the country,' said Ravi Gosain, president of the Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO), which has been pushing for this for the past three years. In 2018, a survey conducted by the Chinese International Travel Monitor revealed that Delhi and Mumbai were among the top visited Indian cities for Chinese tourists. However, the Taj Mahal in Agra was the most favoured site to visit. 'Chinese tourists mostly used to visit in big groups and enjoyed seeing the variety of experiences that India offers. The Golden Triangle – made up of Delhi, Jaipur, and Agra – was among the most sought-after tours from these groups,' said a tour operator who did not wish to be named. Now, with the evolution of spiritual tourism in the country, the Buddhist spiritual corridors coming up in Bihar, connecting the ancient Vishnupad and Mahabodhi temples, are set to see heightened interest from Chinese travellers, say industry experts. The Embassy of India in China announced on Wednesday that visas can be applied for starting Thursday (July 24, 2025) after completing an online application and obtaining an appointment at the Indian Embassy in Beijing and the consulates in Shanghai and Guangzhou. This came after China resumed the Kailash Manasarovar Yatra in June this year. As many as 750 pilgrims were selected from 5,500 applicants. Indian Minister of External Affairs S. Jaishankar had also travelled to China in July and met his counterpart Wang Yi, along with other national leaders, including President Xi Jinping. These steps have been instrumental in this move, say industry experts, adding that the move will help in.
&w=3840&q=100)
Business Standard
an hour ago
- Business Standard
Govt gets ₹16,000 cr investment proposals under electronic component scheme
The government had opened applications for the ₹22,805-crore electronics component manufacturing scheme (ECMS) on May 1 Press Trust of India New Delhi The government is learnt to have attracted investment proposals worth ₹16,000 crore under the Electronics Component Manufacturing Scheme, according to sources. The government had opened applications for the ₹22,805-crore electronics component manufacturing scheme (ECMS) on May 1. "Received proposals worth around ₹16,000 crore under ECMS," an official source said. An industry body also confirmed the development, based on its discussion with government officials and industry players. According to the government source, the approval process has started and shortlisted projects are expected to be announced in September. "The scheme has received a good response from both domestic and foreign companies," the source said. Sources had earlier mentioned that Tata Electronics, Dixon Technologies, and Foxconn were among the big players that have shown interest in the scheme. Recently, Dixon signed separate agreements with Chinese electronic component firms -- Chongqing Yuhai Precision Manufacturing Co Ltd and the Indian arm of Kunshan Q Technology -- for manufacturing and sales of electronic components used in electronic devices like mobile phones and laptops, among others. The scheme aims to address the demand-supply deficit in the electronic component segment. Electronic Industries Association of India (Elcina), the country's oldest industry body of the Indian electronics sector, estimates that the demand-supply deficit for inputs in the electronics segment will increase to $248 billion (about ₹21 lakh crore) by 2030 to cater to projected $ 500 billion electronics production, and it would be met largely by imports in absence of any measure from the government. The major portion of the scheme,₹21,093 crore, is earmarked for sub-assemblies like camera module, multi-layered printed circuit board (PCB), flexible PCB, and passive components that are fixed on the PCB by machines. A total of ₹1,712 crore has been earmarked for making parts used in sub-assemblies and capital goods used in electronics manufacturing. The scheme classifies display module and camera module sub-assembly in category A, while category B products include bare components like non-surface mount devices (non-SMD), multi-layered printed circuit board, lithium-ion cells for digital applications, enclosures for mobile, IT hardware products and related devices. Category C includes components like flexible PCB, SMD passive components. Besides, components used in making items listed under A, B and C categories, as well as capital goods used in electronics manufacturing, have been clubbed under the D category. The government has opened the application window for A, B and C categories initially for three months starting May 1, and for two years for D category items. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
