In a report dated August 11, 2026 by Epoch Times, it was revealed that the once popular Chevrolet in China has seen a drastic decline in sales, with only 36 vehicles sold in the first half of this year and just 1 vehicle nationwide in June.
As sales nearly hit rock bottom, rumors circulated about Chevrolet ceasing sales operations in China, causing concerns among car owners about the impact on future maintenance, servicing, and spare parts availability if the brand stops selling in the country.
In response to this, General Motors stated on August 6 that the Chevrolet brand will not stop production in China, and the after-sales service for existing car owners will remain unaffected, with the dealer network continuing operations. Chevrolet’s product line is more suited for export to overseas markets, and the brand will continue to leverage China’s manufacturing capabilities to actively explore opportunities in overseas markets beyond the United States.
Chevrolet, a global and popular automotive brand under General Motors (GM), was introduced to mainland China by SAIC-GM in 2005.
Recently, a report by the Daily Economic News stated that several Chevrolet dealers in Henan province are still conducting regular after-sales maintenance and servicing operations. Shop staff mentioned that manufacturers have clearly informed dealers that they will continue to cater to the after-sales service needs of existing car owners, and there have been no changes in spare parts supply channels.
Meanwhile, Chevrolet’s official website in China indicates that the brand no longer has independent dealers in provinces and cities such as Beijing, Chongqing, Hubei, Zhejiang, and Hainan.
Following the release of the movie “Transformers” in 2007, Chevrolet’s popularity in China surged rapidly. In 2009, the launch of the Chevrolet Cruze further boosted the brand’s sales numbers. At its peak, the monthly sales volume of this model exceeded 28,000 vehicles. In 2014, Chevrolet achieved a historical high in the Chinese market with annual sales of approximately 767,000 vehicles and nearly a thousand dealerships nationwide.
However, Chevrolet’s sales in the Chinese market continued to decline. Around 2018, General Motors vigorously promoted a three-cylinder engine strategy, with several Chevrolet models equipped with three-cylinder engines, leading to controversies and a significant drop in sales for the brand. By 2019, Chevrolet’s sales in China had decreased to around 410,000 vehicles, almost halving the previous peak.
Subsequently, sales continued to decline. In 2022 and 2023, Chevrolet sold approximately 200,000 vehicles and 169,000 vehicles respectively, representing a more than 70% drop compared to 2014.
By 2024, the annual sales plummeted further to around 52,700 vehicles, a near 70% year-on-year decrease. In 2025, only 8,746 vehicles were sold throughout the year, averaging less than 800 vehicles per month.
According to the car information platform “Auto Home,” from January to June 2026, Chevrolet’s cumulative sales in China amounted to 36 vehicles, with just one vehicle sold in June, placing it at the bottom of all automotive brands.
In contrast to the ongoing sales decline in the Chinese market, data from the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers showed that Chevrolet’s export sales in 2024 were 17,159 vehicles, and in 2025, it was 15,917 vehicles, surpassing domestic sales for the same period.
Moreover, Chevrolet’s official Weibo account in China has not been updated for a year and a half, with the last update showing in February 2025.
Significantly, just before the news of Chevrolet ceasing sales in China emerged, on August 5, SAIC Motor Group and General Motors officially signed a joint venture continuation agreement, extending the SAIC-GM joint venture period to 2047. Both parties announced plans to launch at least 30 new energy vehicle models by 2030, with a focus on the electrification transformation of the Cadillac and Buick brands.
Based on the current product planning and sales trends, SAIC-GM is directing more resources towards Buick and Cadillac, while Chevrolet’s retail operations in the Chinese market are notably contracting. Simultaneously, China’s manufacturing system may continue to undertake the production and export functions of Chevrolet products.
On August 11, an analysis by the WeChat public account “Investment World” suggested that Chevrolet is transitioning from a retail brand focused on the Chinese market to a brand with China as its manufacturing base targeting overseas markets. For Chinese consumers, this signifies the gradual exit of a familiar joint venture brand from the Chinese automotive retail market. Chevrolet’s transformation is just a microcosm of the adjustments seen in Chinese joint venture automotive brands; Chevrolet is not the first and won’t be the last to undergo such changes.