Ford's China partner planning to sell in U.S. in 2020
Ford Motor Co.'s newest Chinese partner, Zotye Automobile, is preparing to launch at least two SUVs in the Blue Oval's backyard.
The relatively small Chinese automaker Zotye Automobile International Co. is partnering with California-based HAAH Automotive Holdings to look beyond its home market and form a new sales distribution company in the United States known as Zotye USA (pronounced ZOH-tay) — a tie-up that would sell direct competitors to some of Ford's most lucrative SUVs.
"We're facing a new reality where the Chinese domestic market is slowing for the first time in recent memory," said Michael Dunne, CEO of Hong Kong-based ZoZo Go, a firm that advises automakers on the Chinese market. "Now that things have gone soft, automakers are finding themselves in a situation where they have to export and find new markets. Zotye is possibly the first, but they won't be the last."
Also at MarketWatch and CNET.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday November 15 2018, @04:22PM (1 child)
> This business will be quite aware that it can't just drop a bunch of vehicles off a ship and expect them to be street legal.
Agreed. But being aware of the regs and actually meeting them are two different things. This article has some history of recent attempts by Chinese car companies to sell in USA, so far all have failed, with some retreating and pledging to return at a later date.
http://www.latimes.com/business/autos/la-fi-hy-china-auto-export-20180205-story.html [latimes.com]
Matches my memory of the last 10+ years of Chinese attempts in the USA car market. It ends with a funny coincidence,
(Score: 1) by khallow on Friday November 16 2018, @05:35AM
Sure, but it's foolish to hype the supposed ability of US regulations to block Chinese car makers. Especially, when they're starting to work with US automakers who already have the regulations figured out.