Great Wall aims to start producing its Haval-branded models in Uzbekistan within 2023 and by 2024 see an annual production capacity of more than 10,000 units.
(Image credit: Great Wall Motor)
Great Wall Motor plans to start producing vehicles in Uzbekistan within the year, becoming the latest Chinese automaker after BYD (OTCMKTS: BYDDY) to target the Central Asian market.
Great Wall recently signed a strategic cooperation agreement with Uzbek automotive group ADM Jizzakh to produce its models at the latter's factories, according to an announcement from the Chinese automaker yesterday.
Great Wall aims to begin production of its Haval-branded models in Uzbekistan within 2023 and see an annual production capacity of more than 10,000 units by 2024, according to the announcement.
The two companies will also explore the possibility of further localization of Great Wall products and cooperation on new energy vehicle (NEV) products, according to the announcement.
Great Wall is making a full-scale entry into the Uzbek market and will work together with its partners to produce internal combustion engine vehicles and NEVs locally, said Zhang Junxue, the Chinese carmaker's regional president for Europe and Asia.
Previously, a Great Wall delegation visited an ADM assembly plant, which covers DKD (Direct Knockdown) and CKD (Complete Knockdown) programs and is under the support of the Uzbek government, according to the announcement.
Uzbekistan is the second-largest automotive market in the Eurasian region, and the country is expanding its openness to this sector, which has great market potential, Great Wall said.
Great Wall is well known for its SUVs in China, with the Haval H6 having been the best-selling SUV in the country for many years, although the model has been overtaken by NEV models including the Tesla Model Y and BYD Song, amid the rapid growth of the NEV sector.
Great Wall sold 104,957 vehicles in June, with the Haval brand contributing 59,007, or 56 percent, according to data it released earlier this month.
Great Wall sold a record 26,669 NEVs in June, but still well below rival BYD's 253,046.
In overseas markets, Great Wall sold a record 25,131 units in June, up 104.04 percent year-on-year and up 15.21 percent from May.
In Uzbekistan, BYD has already made many efforts, announcing on December 30, 2022 that it signed an agreement with UzAuto to set up a joint venture that will focus on the production of NEVs and their components.
BYD held a brand unveiling and product pre-sale event in Uzbekistan on March 16 this year, and several of its local dealership stores opened the same month.
BYD introduced three models at that event, including the Han EV, a pure electric sedan, the Song Plus DM-i, a hybrid model, and the Chazor DM-i, known in China as the Chaser 05.
