Ford may consider making branded pickups in China if
cities open more
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[November 07, 2019] By
Yilei Sun and Norihiko Shirouzu
SHANGHAI (Reuters) - Ford Motor Co <F.N>
will consider building Ford-branded pickup trucks in China if
restrictions on driving pickups in cities are relaxed and it could also
roll out customized models at that time, a senior company official said.
Ford was among foreign automakers exhibiting their wares this week at
the China International Import Expo (CIIE) in Shanghai, a fair aimed at
showcasing the country's free trade credentials.
Many of the vehicles that Ford, General Motors <GM.N> and Fiat Chrysler
Automobiles <FCHA.MI> put on show were pickup trucks, a segment of the
Chinese market that has remained relatively resilient even as the
overall industry braces for a second year of dipping sales.
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Demand for pickups - both from traditional farm and construction-related
customers as well as newer interest from general car buyers - has
increased and last year China became the world's second-biggest pickup
truck market.
But many big Chinese cities restrict pickups from entering their
centers, an obstacle for sales growth. But some urban areas have relaxed
the rules in recent years, boosting pickup sales.
"If more areas relax restrictions on pickup trucks, we will plan to
locally manufacture Ford-branded pickup trucks in China to meet the
demands of Chinese consumers with considerations of the market
situation," Joseph Liu, Ford's China vice president for product
innovation, told Reuters on Wednesday.
The Dearborn, Michigan-based automaker does not build Ford-branded
pickup trucks in China, but its local partner, JMC <000550.SZ>, in which
Ford has a 32% stake, manufactures Yuhu series pickups with Ford
technology.
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![](../images/110719pics/busine33.jpg)
Visitors look at a Ford F-150 pickup displayed at the China
International Import Fair (CIIE) in Shanghai, China November 6,
2019. REUTERS/Yilei Sun
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Liu did not provide details about manufacturing plans or model
specifications but said made-in-China Ford pickup trucks would be
different from existing imported models, if and when Ford went ahead
with the plans.
For instance, China-made pickup trucks would be of sizes that are
suitable for China's roads and are less likely to have capacity for
towing trailers as current policies limit that.
Other automakers at CIIE told Reuters this week they were there to test
the waters. GM and FCA also displayed their new pickup models such as
the Chevrolet Silverado, GMC Sierra Denali, and Jeep Gladiator.
FCA representatives said the company planned to launch the Gladiator in
China but was still working on adjusting the model to meet regulatory
requirements on things like emissions.
A spokeswoman for GM said the company wanted to showcase American-style
pickup trucks in Shanghai to get public opinion. She said, however, that
GM had no plan to launch these models in China now.
(Reporting by Yilei Sun and Norihiko Shirouzu; Editing by Brenda Goh,
Robert Birsel)
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