In January 2026, as China's domestic auto market entered an adjustment phase marked by month-month-month declines, GAC Group bucked the trend to deliver a solid opening performance.
GAC Group's January 2026 production and sales report is officially out: total group sales reached 116,600 units, an 18.47% year-on-year increase. Notably, this marks the first monthly sales release since the formation of the HYPTEC-AION BU and Trumpchi BU. The trend of dual-BU synergy, stable joint ventures, and overseas growth highlights the initial effectiveness of the new architecture, laying the groundwork for GAC's full-year development in 2026.
Self-Owned Brands Power Up, Joint Ventures Hold Steady
GAC's strong start was underpinned by a dual performance: "self-owned growth and joint-venture stability." The debut monthly figures for the two self-owned brand BUs showed robust growth, reflecting the progress of GAC's "Strong Self-Owned" strategy.
Image Source: GAC (same below)
As the core of its new energy business, the HYPTEC-AION BU stood out in January. Sales exceeded 21,600 units, surging 171.63% year-on-year—a pace outstripping the industry average and providing a powerful pull for the overall growth of its self-owned brands.
This performance is closely tied to channel integration and product planning.
By January 2026, the HYPTEC-AION BU had completed the first phase of channel integration. Across 147 cities, 254 stores were upgraded to a dual-brand model, where "one shop, two brands" improved service efficiency and customer access. The BU plans to launch at least five new models in 2026, including two new series and smart models co-created with Huawei, covering mainstream to premium markets to sustain future growth.
The Trumpchi BU displayed steady growth while consolidating its market position through strong reputation. January sales topped 27,600 units, up 51.06% year-on-year, with multiple models maintaining strong competitiveness in their respective segments.
Additionally, GAC Commercial Vehicle, focusing on new energy commercial vehicles, saw January sales soar 559.09% YoY, serving as a vital supplement to the self-owned brands' growth.
Joint ventures, a key pillar for GAC Group, delivered steady sales in January, supporting overall growth. GAC Toyota sold over 62,600 units, up 9.82%, with several high-value models posting double-digit gains. The Camry logged 17,400 terminal sales, up 17%, while the Sienna reached 9,133 units, a 35% YoY increase.
GAC Honda maintained sales scale thanks to stable performance from its core models, with January terminal sales exceeding 27,600 units. The Accord contributed 14,000 units, and the Breeze hit 9,426 units. The 2026 Fit, launched on January 15 at 66,800 yuan, saw high market interest: 75% of its limited 3,000-unit run was booked by the end of the month.
GAC's January success is the result of long-term strategic positioning. Since 2025, the group has focused on three tasks—"stabilizing JVs, strengthening self-owned brands, and expanding ecosystems"—while fighting battles on user demand, product value, and service experience. Full-year terminal sales reached 1.8135 million units, with sequential growth accelerating for three consecutive quarters. This momentum built the foundation for January's counter-cyclical rise.
Overseas Acceleration and New Business Advancements Expand Growth Space
While solidifying its domestic base, GAC Group is pushing forward with globalization. Growth in overseas markets and progress in new ventures are carving out new growth drivers, giving January's "good start" long-term significance.
Overseas markets got off to a strong start in January 2026. Self-owned brand sales abroad jumped 68.59% year-on-year. Notably, the AION V set a new monthly high for terminal sales since its international launch, cementing its status as a core product for GAC's export strategy.
This overseas growth stems from a systematic layout. In November 2025, GAC appointed Chen Jiacai—a veteran with extensive export experience—as vice president to oversee overseas operations. The group set a 2026 target of "ensuring 250,000 units and sprinting for 300,000." Plans also target over 100,000 sales in the Asia-Pacific market by 2027, and a scale of 100,000 to 150,000 in Europe within one to three years, charting a clear path for globalization.
To meet these goals, GAC is upgrading its export model from simple product output to a coordinated approach involving the industrial chain, ecosystem, digitalization, and finance. In product development, a "co-creation mechanism" invites overseas dealers and users to help define products, improving market fit. For channels, the "Thousand-Network Plan" added 20 overseas outlets in January, bringing the global total to 650 across 86 countries and regions. The aim is to build over 1,000 offline 4S stores in 2026.
Furthermore, GAC plans to establish 10 to 15 KD factories globally to deepen localized production. It is also building a comprehensive "Auto + Energy + Mobility" service system to provide green, smart mobility solutions for overseas users, ensuring sustainable growth.
GAC Cambodia KD Factory
Beyond overseas markets, GAC has made phased progress in emerging businesses. In January 2026, Qijing Auto and the Robotaxi initiative moved forward in parallel, expanding future growth horizons.
Qijing Auto is preparing for the launch of its first model in June—a shooting brake. Large-scale road testing is underway nationwide across urban arterial roads and complex suburban conditions to verify comprehensive performance and intelligent driving capabilities. Channel rollout is keeping pace, targeting over 300 stores in 70 cities by June. The first batch of dealers has signed on, with initial stores slated to open in early May, ready to support the model's debut.
In the Robotaxi sector, GAC achieved a breakthrough. On January 23, the R2 model—a joint development between GAC AION and DiDi Autonomous Driving—was delivered in batches and obtained a Guangzhou road test license. Equipped with 33 high-precision sensors and computing power exceeding 2,000 TOPS, the R2 reduces costs by 74% compared to previous solutions, balancing safety and economy.
Combined with prior investments in companies like ONTIME, Pony.ai, and WeRide, GAC has built a Robotaxi layout centered on "platform standardization, ecosystem synergy, and operational normalization," gradually entering the realm of large-scale autonomous driving operations.
From the synergy of self-owned and joint ventures to sustained overseas growth and the phased landing of new businesses, GAC Group's January "good start" reflects more than just rising sales figures. It demonstrates the combined effectiveness of its organizational structure, product strength, and strategic layout.
As the dual-BU structure continues to optimize, overseas expansion deepens, and new businesses like Qijing and Robotaxi gradually materialize, GAC Group is poised to unleash sustained growth potential throughout 2026.
