GM locks in 20-year tie-up with SAIC to push 30 new EVs by 2030, eyes global rollout of Buick Electra E7

General Motors and SAIC Motor have extended their 27-year-old joint venture for another 20 years, taking the partnership to 2047. The move comes as GM ramps up its push in China’s cutthroat new-energy vehicle (NEV) market, where it sold nearly 1.9 million vehicles in 2024—a 2.3% increase over 2023. The extended deal will see the partners launch at least 30 new energy vehicles by 2030, with a focus on deploying technology developed in China specifically for the Chinese market. Buick and Cadillac will play a bigger role in GM’s China strategy, highlighted by the rapid ascent of Buick’s new Electra sub-brand, which delivered over 10,000 E7 models in its first month on sale. GM now plans to export the E7 to select global markets starting in October, targeting the Middle East, Africa, South America, Mexico, and Asia-Pacific. The partnership also includes the continued operation of the SAIC-GM-Wuling joint venture, which produced China’s best-selling NEV last year with over 435,000 Hong Guang EVs sold. GM China President John Roth emphasized the agreement reflects “shared confidence” in SAIC-GM’s long-term growth potential and commitment to strong performance in China while pursuing opportunities abroad.