Chine
GAC
GAC (Guangzhou Automobile Group, in Chinese Guangzhou Qiche Jituan) is a state-owned Chinese automaker headquartered in Guangzhou (Canton), in Guangdong province. The group was established in its current form in 1997, out of the reorganization of the local automotive industry, with support from the governments of the city of Guangzhou and Guangdong province. Its roots, however, reach back further: its institutional ancestor, the Tongsheng machining plant, was founded in Guangzhou in 1948 to produce automotive components. GAC first grew through joint ventures with foreign automakers in order to acquire industrial know-how. Its first major joint venture, GAC Honda, was created in July 1998, followed by alliances with Toyota (GAC Toyota), Fiat, and Mitsubishi. These partnerships made the group one of the leading automobile producers in southern China. In December 2010, GAC launched its own brand, Trumpchi (Chuanqi), whose first product was technically based on the Alfa Romeo 166. In 2017, the group founded its electric-vehicle division under the name GAC New Energy, renamed GAC Aion in November 2020; Aion quickly established itself among the best-selling Chinese electric brands. GAC Group is listed on the Hong Kong and Shenzhen stock exchanges and ranks among the largest Chinese automakers, with sales on the order of more than two million vehicles per year in the early 2020s. The group draws on design centers spread across Guangzhou, Shanghai, Milan, and Los Angeles. Internationally, GAC has sharply accelerated its expansion: its exports exceeded 130,000 units by the end of 2025, and the group is targeting around a hundred markets. In North America, GAC has expressed intentions to enter the U.S. market, but its concrete presence in Canada and Quebec remains, to date, marginal, as the brand's vehicles are not officially distributed there on a large scale.
ActiveÉlectrique / hybridePopulairesChinoises
History
History of GAC
GAC (Guangzhou Automobile Group, in Chinese Guangzhou Qiche Jituan) is a state-owned Chinese automaker headquartered in Guangzhou (Canton), in Guangdong province. The group was established in its current form in 1997, out of the reorganization of the local automotive industry, with support from the governments of the city of Guangzhou and Guangdong province. Its roots, however, reach back further: its institutional ancestor, the Tongsheng machining plant, was founded in Guangzhou in 1948 to produce automotive components. GAC first grew through joint ventures with foreign automakers in order to acquire industrial know-how. Its first major joint venture, GAC Honda, was created in July 1998, followed by alliances with Toyota (GAC Toyota), Fiat, and Mitsubishi. These partnerships made the group one of the leading automobile producers in southern China. In December 2010, GAC launched its own brand, Trumpchi (Chuanqi), whose first product was technically based on the Alfa Romeo 166. In 2017, the group founded its electric-vehicle division under the name GAC New Energy, renamed GAC Aion in November 2020; Aion quickly established itself among the best-selling Chinese electric brands. GAC Group is listed on the Hong Kong and Shenzhen stock exchanges and ranks among the largest Chinese automakers, with sales on the order of more than two million vehicles per year in the early 2020s. The group draws on design centers spread across Guangzhou, Shanghai, Milan, and Los Angeles. Internationally, GAC has sharply accelerated its expansion: its exports exceeded 130,000 units by the end of 2025, and the group is targeting around a hundred markets. In North America, GAC has expressed intentions to enter the U.S. market, but its concrete presence in Canada and Quebec remains, to date, marginal, as the brand's vehicles are not officially distributed there on a large scale.
Public founding or origin of GAC.
Aion S: launch or first listed period.
Aion Y: launch or first listed period.
Trumpchi GS4: launch or first listed period.
Trumpchi M8: launch or first listed period.
Technologies
Technologies, innovations and platforms
GAC deploys a broad technology lineup covering combustion engines, hybrids (HEV), plug-in hybrids (PHEV), and electric vehicles (BEV). For its Aion electric vehicles, the group developed in-house a dedicated platform, the GEP (GAC Electric Platform) 2.0, designed from the ground up for all-electric use. Aion also offers its own battery, marketed under the name Magazine Battery, available in several capacities. On the combustion and hybrid side, Trumpchi models use turbocharged gasoline engines (notably 1.5 L and 2.0 L units) and, for certain hybrid versions, a hybrid system derived from Toyota's THS technology. The group is also developing advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) and investing in onboard connectivity and large-screen multimedia interfaces.
Brand image
Identity, reputation, strengths and weaknesses
Positioning
A rising Chinese mainstream automaker, blending established joint ventures with its own combustion (Trumpchi) and electric (Aion) brands.
Reputation
GAC enjoys a relatively solid reputation for quality among Chinese brands. GAC Motor was recognized for several consecutive years as the top Chinese brand in the J.D. Power China Initial Quality Study, and GAC Toyota consistently ranks well for reliability (China dependability study). The joint ventures with Honda and Toyota have helped lend credibility to its engineering. Without official distribution in Quebec, resale value and local perception remain difficult to establish, and the brand stays little known to the general public there. Globally, GAC is viewed as a rising player with a competitive price-to-equipment ratio.
Strengths
GAC's strengths lie in a wide range of powertrains (combustion, hybrid, plug-in hybrid, electric), in platforms and batteries developed in-house for Aion, and in build quality praised by several independent studies. The joint ventures with Toyota and Honda reinforce its technical credibility. The lineup also stands out for an attractive price-to-equipment ratio and refined design.
Points to watch
The main limitation, in Quebec, is the absence of an official distribution and service network: parts, warranty, and maintenance are hard to access for privately imported vehicles. The brand remains little known locally, which weighs on resale value and on the availability of information. The long-term reliability track record outside China remains limited, and some models evolve quickly from one generation to the next.
Models
GAC models
Current or active models by market
Production and compatibility
Plants, tires and wheels
Production
GAC concentrates the bulk of its production in China, around Guangzhou, where its own plants (Trumpchi, Aion) are located, along with those of its GAC Honda and GAC Toyota joint ventures. As part of its international expansion, the group has set up assembly sites in Southeast Asia and Africa to serve export markets. In North America, GAC does not operate a production plant: the brand has signaled intentions to enter the U.S. market, but no North American manufacturing facility is in service. In Canada and Quebec, there is no established production or official distribution network.
Tires and wheels
As a maker of sedans, compact to mid-size SUVs, and minivans, GAC covers a variety of tire fitments. Compact SUVs (such as the GS4) and the Aion electric models frequently use 17- to 19-inch wheels, while larger models (GS8, M8) can run 18- to 20-inch wheels. The bolt pattern is generally a 5-lug type, common on these segments. Always check the exact size printed on the door jamb (e.g., width/aspect ratio/diameter) before purchasing. In Quebec, certified winter tires are mandatory from December to March; for electric vehicles, favor low-rolling-resistance tires to preserve range in cold weather.