GAC Group

Guangzhou Automobile Group Co., Ltd.
Company type	State-owned enterprise
Industry	Automotive
Founded	1948 (as Tongsheng Machining Plant)
Headquarters	Guangzhou, China
Area served	Worldwide
Products	Automobiles, buses, electric vehicles
Owner	State-owned

Guangzhou Automobile Group Co., Ltd. (commonly known as GAC Group) is a state-owned Chinese automotive manufacturer based in Guangzhou, Guangdong. As of , it ranked fifth among China’s largest car producers, having sold 2.144 million vehicles.

GAC designs and markets automobiles under its proprietary brands such as Trumpchi, Aion, Hyptec, and Hycan. Additionally, it operates joint ventures with foreign automakers, including GAC Toyota and GAC Honda. The company also manufactures electric vehicles (EVs) across several of its brands and produces buses under the GAC Bus label. Other affiliated marques include Everus for passenger cars and Hino.

In 2021, GAC was the fourth-leading manufacturer of plug-in electric vehicles in China, capturing a 4% share of the market. That year, it sold 123,660 EV units and exceeded 20,000 EV sales in March 2022 alone. The company aims to increase its annual EV production capacity to 400,000 units by December 2022.

History

The origins of GAC trace back to Tongsheng Machining Plant, established in 1948, which evolved into the Guangzhou automobile manufacturing plant. It became part of Guangzhou Automobile Industry Group and was restructured as a joint-stock company in 2005. By , GAC ranked as China’s sixth-largest automaker.

In 2009, GAC acquired a 29% ownership stake in Chinese SUV manufacturer Changfeng Automobile, becoming its majority shareholder, and completed full acquisition by 2011. After initially entering the stock market through a backdoor listing via Denway Motors, GAC secured independent listing on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange in 2010 following Denway Motors’ privatization approval by shareholders. Denway Motors was delisted on 25 August 2010 and replaced by Guangzhou Automobile Group () on 30 August through a stock swap.

Later that year, GAC acquired a controlling 51% interest in Gonow, a midsize automaker specializing in SUVs, subcompact cars, and pickups. In December 2010, GAC introduced its own brand, Trumpchi, launching with a model derived from the Alfa Romeo 166. By this time, GAC had become one of China’s top ten automobile manufacturers, ranking sixth with vehicle sales totaling 724,200 units. It maintained this sixth position in 2011 with production reaching 740,400 vehicles.

Early in 2012, GAC achieved dual-listing status by obtaining a stock exchange listing on the Shanghai Stock Exchange.

On 17 November 2023, GAC revealed advancements in critical battery technologies such as all-solid-state batteries, cobalt-free and low-cobalt battery chemistries, and sodium-ion batteries. The company aims to integrate all-solid-state batteries into its vehicles by 2026.

In the same year, GAC engineered the world’s first ammonia-powered engine designed for automotive use.

In November 2023, GAC entered into a strategic partnership with Huawei to introduce a new premium electric vehicle brand alongside its existing labels Trumpchi, Aion, and Hyptec. This collaboration encompasses product development, marketing efforts, and ecosystem services.

On 2 November 2024, GAC moved its corporate headquarters from the CBD’s GAC Center to Panyu Auto City.

In March 2025, GAC launched Huawang Automotive Technology (Guangzhou) Co., Ltd. (Huawang Automotive), a joint venture with Huawei focused on establishing an independent high-end automotive brand incorporating Huawei’s intelligent driving systems, smart cockpit technology, and vehicle control solutions.

Trumpchi/GAC

Trumpchi is an automobile brand owned by the GAC Group, introduced in December 2010. Within China, it is marketed under the Trumpchi name, while its international presence is branded as GAC Motor.

Aion

Aion serves as GAC Group's electric vehicle division, initially established in 2017 under the name GAC New Energy Automobile and rebranded to Aion in November 2020. This subsidiary manufactures battery electric vehicles under both the Aion and the upscale Hyptec brands.

By 2023, GAC Aion had become the third-largest global battery electric vehicle manufacturer, following Tesla and BYD Auto, with a production volume of 480,003 units.

Hyptec

Hyptec, originally launched as Hyper in September 2022 by GAC Aion, represents the company’s venture into the premium segment to broaden its luxury vehicle offerings.

The brand’s premier model is the Hyptec SSR hypercar, whose production commenced in October 2023. The product range was further diversified in 2023 with the release of the Hyptec GT sedan in July and the mid-size SUV coupe Hyptec HT introduced in October, with sales starting in China from November 2023. In August 2024, the brand’s English name transitioned from Hyper to Hyptec.

GAC Commercial Vehicle

GAC Commercial Vehicle is a GAC Group subsidiary dedicated to producing commercial electric vehicles. Initially formed as a joint venture with Hino Motors focusing on Hino-based trucks, it became wholly owned by GAC Group in 2024.

Changfeng Motor (Leopaard)

In 2009, GAC acquired a 29% ownership stake in Changfeng Motor, a strategic move reportedly mandated by Chinese authorities to enable a joint venture with Fiat. By 2011, GAC had completed full ownership. In 2013, Changfeng reentered the automotive market through subsidiaries such as Hunan Liebao Automobile Co., which managed production and marketing for the Leopaard brand.

Gonow

Zhejiang Gonow Auto Co., Ltd., based in Taizhou, Zhejiang province, operates as a GAC subsidiary manufacturing cars, commercial vehicles, and SUVs under the domestic GAC Gonow name and internationally as Gonow.

GAC Honda

GAC Honda is a joint venture equally owned by GAC and Honda that has been producing Honda-branded vehicles for China since 1999. In 2011, it introduced its proprietary brand Everus to broaden its product lineup.

GAC Wuyang-Honda

Wuyang-Honda handles the distribution of Honda Motorcycles within the Chinese market.

GAC Toyota

Established in 2004 and headquartered in Guangzhou, GAC Toyota Motor Co., Ltd. is a 50:50 joint venture between GAC and Toyota Motor Company focused on manufacturing Toyota vehicles for China.

Guangzhou Isuzu

Guangzhou Isuzu Bus Co., Ltd., founded on March 6, 2000, was a coach manufacturing partnership involving GAC (51%), Isuzu (33.67%), and Isuzu (China) Investment Co., Ltd. (15.33%). Additionally, Guangzhou Yangcheng Automobile (), a joint venture with Hong Kong China Lounge Logistics, produced light trucks based on the Isuzu Elf under the "YCACO" brand. In September 2008, Yangcheng's bus operations were merged with Guangzhou Isuzu Bus and Denway to form Guangzhou Bus Co., Ltd., while its truck manufacturing division was integrated into Guangzhou Hino.

Guangzhou Peugeot

Guangzhou Peugeot Automobile Co. Ltd. was among the pioneering Sino-Western automotive joint ventures in China, formed through a collaboration between PSA Peugeot Citroën and the Guangzhou Municipal government from 1985 until 1997. Throughout its eleven-year tenure, the company produced approximately 100,000 vehicles, mainly catering to government officials and taxi services starting in 1989. The range of vehicles included models like the Peugeot 505 and 504.

GAC Fiat Chrysler

On 6 July 2009, Fiat entered into a partnership with GAC, culminating in the creation of GAC FIAT Automobiles Co Ltd on 9 March 2010. A manufacturing plant was established in Changsha, Hunan Province, which commenced operations on 28 June 2012 to produce the Fiat Viaggio.

GAC Mitsubishi

Following a memorandum of understanding signed in late 2010, GAC Mitsubishi Motors—a joint venture between GAC and Japanese automaker Mitsubishi Motors—began its operations in September 2012.

GAC BYD

GAC BYD represents a joint venture between GAC (holding 49%) and BYD (holding 51%), focusing on producing buses designed by BYD under the GAC brand. On 18 September 2024, China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology announced the revocation of GAC BYD's automobile production qualifications, leading to the halt of production and sales for specific passenger vehicles and garbage trucks. Concurrently, GAC Group placed its 49% ownership stake in GAC BYD up for transfer.

GAC Hino

GAC Hino was a collaborative enterprise between Hino and GAC dedicated to manufacturing trucks under the Hino brand. In 2024, GAC Group acquired this venture and reorganized it into GAC Commercial Vehicle in 2025 to focus on producing electric commercial vehicles.

Sales

Sales figures for GAC Group by brand
Year	Total	Trumpchi	GAC Aion	Gonow
2010	45,065	21	-	43,251
2011	44,056	17,014	-	25,343
2012	71,505	32,646	-	37,256
2013	124,001	84,602	-	38,928
2014	146,694	116,468	-	29,500
2015	207,890	191,617	-	15,995
2016	375,723	370,781	-	4,209
2017	508,797	508,617	-	180
2018	535,323	535,277	-	46
2019	384,792	351,550	33,242	Discontinued
2020	353,597	294,049	59,545
2021	447,207	327,048	120,159
2022	633,704	362,548	271,156
2023	886,508	406,505	480,003
2024	789,475	414,591	374,884

International operations

GAC Group has actively sought to enter the United States market. The Trumpchi brand made its debut at the North American International Auto Show held in Detroit in January 2013 with the E-Jet concept vehicle. Returning in 2017 with three SUVs and two sedans on display and again in 2018 introducing five new models including the Enverge concept SUV. In addition to showcasing vehicles, GAC established research and development centers in Silicon Valley and Los Angeles during 2017 and 2018 respectively. Nevertheless, at the Detroit Auto Show in 2019, GAC announced postponements of its U.S. sales launch until mid-2020 and eventually deferred plans indefinitely by May that year due to escalating trade tensions.

In the Middle East region, GAC inaugurated its Lebanese office through Bazerji Motors SAL in May 2015 and simultaneously partnered with Doha Marketing and Services Company (DOMASCO) to expand operations within Qatar.

On 20 November 2020, GAC opened a branch office in Chile to bolster its foothold across South America.

International markets served by GAC Group
Year introduced	Region	Brands offered	Local partner
2013	Kuwait	GAC Motor
May 2014	Lebanon	GAC Motor	Bazerji Motors Sal
November 2014	Nigeria	GAC Motor
October 2015	Bahrain	GAC Motor	Tasheelat Automotive Company
October 2018	United Arab Emirates	GAC Motor	Gargash Group
November 2018	Philippines	GAC Motor	Legado Motors Inc. (LMI)
November 2018	Saudi Arabia	GAC Motor	Al Jomaih Automotive
May 2019	Ecuador	GAC Motor	Impofactor CA
August 2019	Cambodia, Laos, Panama	GAC Motor	TH Group (Cambodia), VK Group (Laos), Auto Commercial (Panama)
December 2019	Russia	GAC Motor	Direct subsidiary
September 2023	Thailand	* GAC Aion * GAC Motor (2025–present)	Direct subsidiary
January 2024	Malaysia	* GAC Aion * GAC Motor	Tan Chong Motor
July 2024	Indonesia	* GAC Aion * GAC Motor (2025–present)	Aion Indomobil Distribution Indonesia
May 2025	Brazil	GAC Motor

Sponsorships

GAC served as a sponsor for the 2011 World Table Tennis Championships held in Rotterdam and acted as the principal sponsor for the 2012 ITTF World Tour. Additionally, it took the lead in sponsoring the 2013 World Team Cup Table Tennis, which took place in its hometown of Guangzhou.

External links