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China's GAC to launch UK car sales with two Aion brand EVs

China's GAC to launch UK car sales with two Aion brand EVs

Time of India16-07-2025
Jameel Motors has signed a deal to distribute Guangzhou Automobile Group's (GAC) vehicles in Britain, the two companies said on Wednesday, making GAC the fourth Chinese automaker to launch a new brand in Europe's second-largest car market this month.
GAC's UK sales will start with two
Aion
brand electric models - the Aion V SUV, and the Aion UT hatchback, with deliveries expected in the first quarter of 2026.
"GAC's entry into the UK marks a crucial step in its internationalization strategy," Wayne Wei, president of GAC International said in a statement.
When asked if GAC could bring its Trumpchi, Hycan or Hyptec brands to Britain as well as Jameel, owned by the Saudi Jameel family, it said it was focused on the Aion brand for now.
GAC has already announced plans to sell in Portugal and Poland and in May it launched in Brazil.
Britain is Europe's second-largest EV market after Germany. One in four cars sold in Britain in June was electric and unlike the European Union, Britain has not imposed tariffs on Chinese-made EVs.
Several Chinese automakers have already launched sales in Britain, including China's No. 1 seller BYD.
The British government this week said it would spend 650 million pounds ($871 million) on EV subsidies of up to 3,750 pounds for cars costing 37,000 pounds or less, which could attract more brands.
Earlier this month, Geely launched its Geely brand in Britain with its electric EX5 SUV.
Changan will soon launch its electric Deepal S07 SUV and Chery, which already sells Omoda and Jaecoo brand cars in Britain, has said its Chery brand cars will start selling in the coming weeks.
GAC's global sales fell 20per cent in 2024 to 2 million vehicles, driven largely by declines in China at its joint ventures with Honda and Toyota, while its sales outside China rose 67per cent to 127,000 vehicles.
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Pakistan's close ally China faces major threat! Offering citizens lakhs of money due to..., reason will shock you
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  • India.com

Pakistan's close ally China faces major threat! Offering citizens lakhs of money due to..., reason will shock you

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UAE Vice President Sheikh Mohammed takes first passenger ride on Etihad Rail between Dubai and Fujairah
UAE Vice President Sheikh Mohammed takes first passenger ride on Etihad Rail between Dubai and Fujairah

Time of India

time3 hours ago

  • Time of India

UAE Vice President Sheikh Mohammed takes first passenger ride on Etihad Rail between Dubai and Fujairah

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Liquor shops in Pune report ‘severe shortage' of IMFL brands, blame excise duty hike
Liquor shops in Pune report ‘severe shortage' of IMFL brands, blame excise duty hike

Time of India

time4 hours ago

  • Time of India

Liquor shops in Pune report ‘severe shortage' of IMFL brands, blame excise duty hike

1 2 3 Pune: The Maharashtra govt's recent decision to increase excise duty has triggered a shortage of Indian-made foreign liquor (IMFL) brands across liquor shops and distribution networks, industry stakeholders said. They said the price shock, production slowdown and logistical delays have resulted in around 30-40% shortage of mainstream IMFL brands. In a concerning trend, retailers said there has been a significant spike in demand for country liquor, as consumers shift down the price ladder. "There's a gradual and visible shift towards country liquor across the counter. Those who previously bought lower-end IMFL are now moving to cheaper options," said a member of Pune District Wine Merchants' Association. You Can Also Check: Pune AQI | Weather in Pune | Bank Holidays in Pune | Public Holidays in Pune Aditya Patil, owner of a liquor shop in Dhanori, said: "After the steep excise duty hikes, most regular and fast moving liquor brands — those typically bought by daily or price-conscious consumers — are either out of stock or missing several pack sizes. For nearly 25 days now, we've had very limited availability. At present, only 180 ml bottles are available in some brands. But the 750 ml, 90 ml, and 1-litre bottles are not coming in. The brands people regularly ask for, especially lower and mid-range whisky and rum, are just not on the shelves." He said: "In addition to the price hike, liquor companies have also slashed the usual trade schemes and cash discounts that retailers used to get per bill. The additional schemes that used to come with bulk orders have also been discontinued. That is hitting our margins hard. Companies have passed the cost pressures to distributors, who in turn have reduced the margins and benefits we used to get as retailers. We (retailers) are now refusing to purchase brands that no longer offer reasonable payment terms or schemes," Another member of Pune District Wine Merchants' Association said: "Most of the major IMFL brands are facing shortages in the last few days, following a rise in the state excise duty by over 50%. The liquor companies needed time to recalculate and revise their MRPs to ensure their products remained affordable to consumers. Some firms took 10-20 days to fix prices. To add to the crunch, two of the biggest IMFL manufacturers had scaled down production ahead of their financial year-end in June. " Multinational companies often limit stock movement in the last month of their financial year to avoid setting a high-sale benchmark for the following fiscal year. As a result, even before the excise hike, supply from these players was already sluggish, another member of the association said. After a 20-day gap in production and dispatch, markets began running dry. "Once pricing was finalised, companies started producing and shipping bottles. But the demand — say 100 bottles — is now being met with just 20 or 50, which is far from sufficient. Moreover, not all pack sizes are being produced," another top retailer said. "The shortage is severe. In addition, there is definitely a shift happening. About 20-25% of customers who previously bought lower-tier IMFL brands have started switching to country liquor or wine-based low-cost alternatives, simply because the latter is more affordable now," he said. Another member of the association said: "The annual licence fee for operating a wine shop is Rs 22 lakh, and govt increases it by 10% every year. On top of that, we bear expenses like rent, freight charges, staff salaries and electricity bills. Earlier, the retail margin on most liquor brands was around 12%. It has now dropped to just 7.2%. Multinational companies are still making profits, but they're squeezing retailer margins to maintain their own. Govt decides the excise duty and VAT structure and also sets the licence fees we pay. But it doesn't regulate or fix the retailers' margin. That leaves us completely at the manufacturers' mercy." A distributor, who did not wish to be named, said: "After the excise duty hike, liquor companies had to revisit and re-register their MRPs. Everyone in the industry was waiting to see how others priced their products. Companies delayed finalising their MRPs to stay competitive. Until that was sorted out, most companies held off production, which led to a complete halt for about 20-25 days. At the distributor level, we are witnessing a shortage of around 20–30%. The problem is, when one pack size comes in, it sells out quickly before the next one arrives. The most popular segments — the ones with highest daily movement— have been hit the hardest." Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Friendship Day wishes , messages and quotes !

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