How GAC is planning to win over European car buyers

At the 2026 Paris Motor Show, Autocar sat down with Ma Haiyang, GAC Europe Regional Center President, to discuss the brand’s long-term strategy, local engineering efforts, and plans to capture the European market. Rather than simply exporting pre-existing models from China, GAC is rooting its design and engineering directly in Europe under the philosophy of ‘define in Europe, develop for Europe’. Ma Haiyang highlighted three key differences in European car culture: buyers demand genuine substance over flash, driving and charging habits vary widely requiring a full powertrain line-up of HEV, PHEV, and EV models, and drivers need compact bodies with spacious interiors for tight city streets.

To meet these demands, GAC established its Milan Advanced Design Center, which penned models like the AION UT Cross and AION UT with European design logic from their very first sketches. Furthermore, a European R&D centre is set to open in 2027, bringing a team of more than a hundred engineers to handle localized research, product definition, legal compliance, powertrain calibration, chassis tuning, smart ecosystem development, and road testing.

On the service front, GAC debuted its GAC CARE+ global service brand framework in Europe. Backed by the Rotterdam Parts Distribution Center, GAC promises a parts order fulfillment rate above 95% with shipping within 36 hours on average. Technical service needs will be answered within 48 hours, and Allianz Partners will provide three years of free pan-European roadside assistance. Warranty coverage includes an 8-year/160,000 km vehicle warranty, an 8-year/200,000 km power battery warranty, a 10-year unlimited-mileage anti-corrosion warranty, and a 3-year unlimited-mileage paint warranty. Local-language call centres will launch in self-operated markets like France, alongside regular OTA upgrades and an official app packing over 40 features.

GAC’s strategic roadmap targets 210,000 annual European sales by 2030, aiming to rank among the continent’s leading mainstream new-energy brands. The brand has already reached 30 countries and plans to open more than 180 sales and service outlets this year across five core markets: the UK, Germany, France, Italy, and Spain. Product expansion will include models like the GAC GS7 PHEV, working alongside European tier-1 suppliers.