Beijing (Gasgoo)-On June 12, the 2025 International Automotive & Supply Chain Expo opened in Hong Kong, with SAIC Motor making a strong impression by presenting a lineup of smart electric vehicles from its five major brands: MG, IM Motors, MAXUS, Wuling, and SUNWIN.
Among the models on display were the MGS5 EV, two high-end smart BEV (battery electric vehicle) models from IM Motors—the IM L6 and the IM LS6, the Maxus ETERRON 9 electric pickup, the all-new Wuling Air EV, and SUNWIN's next-generation all-electric bus.
Maxus ETERRON 9; photo credit: SAIC MAXUS
As one of China's earliest and most successful automakers to expand internationally, SAIC Motor has steadily evolved its global strategy from initial product exports to fully localized operations.
Over the years, it has built a solid global presence, with products and services now reaching over 170 countries and regions. The company has delivered more than 6 million vehicles abroad, making it China's leading automobile exporter.
By the end of 2024, SAIC Motor has ranked No. 1 among Chinese car exporters for eight consecutive years and has exceeded annual overseas sales of one million vehicles for three years in a row. In Europe's markets alone, sales account for 25% of its overseas volume. MG, SAIC Motor's global-oriented marque that joined its self-owned brand portfolio in 2007, has sold more than 5 million units globally and ranks among the top 10 best-selling brands in over 20 countries.
In the intelligent connected vehicle sector, SAIC Motor has also led the way. Since launching its first vehicle equipped with the i-Smart system in Thailand in 2017, the company's intelligent vehicles have entered more than 100 countries and regions, including key markets such as Europe, Australia and New Zealand, the Middle East, India, Southeast Asia, and South America. SAIC Motor's overseas i-Smart system has surpassed one million times of activation, giving it the broadest global reach among Chinese automakers. The system is locally tailored—featuring a "Battery Doctor" function for tropical climates in Thailand and Indonesia, and a pre-heating function in low-temperature environment for colder European regions—showcasing SAIC Motor's ability to adapt software technologies to global and local needs.
This year, SAIC Motor launched its "Glocal Strategy", the third-generation overseas development blueprint that blends global reach with local adaptation. Over the next three years, the group plans to roll out 17 new vehicle models in overseas markets, spanning SUVs, sedans, MPVs, and pickups. These models will feature its next-generation HEV (hybrid electric vehicle)-dedicated systems to cover mainstream global segments, while breakthrough technologies such as solid-state batteries are also expected to enter practical application.
The strategy aims to deepen SAIC Motor's global footprint and help Chinese auto brands accelerate their international expansion—transforming from mere scale growth to value creation, and from product exports to exporting industry standards.
