General Motors, the troubled US carmaker, is considering exporting vehicles from its Chinese division to developing markets in a further sign of China‘s potential to supply the world with cheaply built vehicles.
GM is evaluating whether there is sufficient demand for exports to markets such as India, Indonesia, the Middle East and South America and will make a decision later this year, Troy Clarke, head of GM‘s Asian division, said in an interview.
出口的车型将是五菱(Wuling)制造的小型厢式货车和客车。五菱是通用与其中国合作伙伴上海汽车工业公司(Shanghai Automotive Industry Corp)在2004年收购的一家汽车制造商。
Exports would be of the small vans and buses made by Wuling, a carmaker bought by GM and its Chinese partner, Shanghai Automotive Industry Corp, in 2004.
“No decisions have been made, but it is a very exciting opportunity,” Mr Clarke said. “I can‘t tell you how excited I am about it. The emerging markets could use another $5,000 vehicle.”
他说,这些小型车在中国大城市以外的地区被用作基本型客车和货车,不适合发达国家市场。
He said the small vehicles, used as basic people-carriers and vans in areas of China outside the large cities, were not appropriate for developed markets.
China is becoming a source of vehicles for developing markets. Late last year exports for the first time exceeded imports in terms of numbers of vehicles. The biggest export market is Syria.
Many analysts believe the big potential for vehicles from low-cost China to disrupt other markets would come in the event of a downturn in the Chinese market, when manufacturers might turn to exports in order to maintain their production.
Mr Clarke said GM, which became the largest producer in China last year, was running at maximum capacity, suggesting investment would be needed to start exports. Exports could be supported by sending kits for assembly in other countries, and the Wuling models could also be made outside China if they proved successful.
在中国的小型客车市场,五菱公司是仅次于长安奥拓(Changan Auto)的第二大企业。长安奥拓是美国福特汽车(Ford Motor)的合资伙伴。去年,五菱售出了33.7万辆车,销量增长43%. The Wuling business is the second-largest in the Chinese small people-carrier market, behind Changan Auto, a joint-venture partner of Ford Motor of the US. Last year Wuling sold 337,000 vehicles, increasing sales by 43 per cent.