The Chinese carmaker Zotye has announced its plan to sell vehicles in the United States before the end of next year.
Automotive News reports
19 existing dealers around the country will take up Zotye stock to distribute. Given market trends, it’s not a surprise Zotye will begin sales with an SUV — there are several in its current portfolio. China-based carmakers have been announcing their United States plans recently, including
Qiantu Motors’ recent claim that it will also manufacture cars in California.
The future Zotye dealers currently sell various brands, ranging from Volvos to Hyundais and Subarus, Buick-GMC and Ford-Lincoln. There will be Zotye stores on both coasts and in the Midwest; the plan is to enter “80 top U.S. markets” and to have as many as 325 sales points by the end of 2020. Some participating dealers have experience at launching new brands in the U.S, such as Richmond, Va.-based George Whitlow, whose establishment was originally one of the first 24 Lexus dealers in the country.
Automotive News estimates the first U.S. Zotye will be the T600 crossover, produced in China from 2013 on, while
Zotye’s website says engineering and development work on the specific U.S.-bound vehicle is currently underway, as well as homologation work to make the model fit the United States market. Zotye USA, headquartered in Lake Forest, Calif., was formed after more than two years of negotiations, according to Duke Hale, CEO of parent company HAAH Automotive Holdings. Hale, who comes from a Volvo, Mazda and Jaguar background, told
Automotive News that the no-haggle-priced Zotye vehicles could cost some 20 percent less than competitor products. It remains to be seen which vehicles Zotye has benchmarked.
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