On August 10, 2020, BAIC recorded an output of over 30 million vehicles on a cumulative basis. That marks an important moment in the Group’s 62-year-long history and a new milestone on its path to quality development in the new era, and sounds the clarion call for the successful end of the 13th Five-year Plan of BAIC.

It took BAIC 35 years to increase its output from 0 to 1 million sets, 18 years from 1 million to 10 million sets, five years from 10 million to 20 million sets, and four years from 20 million to 30 million sets. The figures reflect the recognition and support of tens of millions of users, witness the growth of Beijing’s auto industry starting from scratch, and record the fighting process of BAIC members from one generation to another in pursuit of their dreams. Meanwhile, the accelerated growth trend also shows the fast and quality development of BAIC in recent years, paving the way and injecting stronger impetus into the Group’s move to build BAIC into a century-old brand.  

The leap in output from 0 to 1 million:

Working hard and laying a solid foundation

“Jinggangshan” Sedan Successfully Produced on a Trial Basis

In 1958, BAIC successfully produced the first sedan under the brand of “Jinggangshan”, laying a foundation for Beijing’s auto industry. In 1966, BAIC launched BJ212, the first light off-road vehicle at home, and the BJ212 lineup later evolved into a legend widely circulated in the industry with a production period of over 50 years and a cumulative output of more than 1.2 million sets, helping establish the Group’s important position in China’s auto industry and its reputation as a time honored off-road vehicle manufacturer. In the same year, BJ130 light truck was successfully produced on a trial basis, and later became the light vehicle with the biggest output at home as imitated production was carried out in 14 provinces. During the period, BJ212, BJ130, BJ motorcycles, and Beinei 492 gasoline engines and 4115 diesel engines were collectively called the “three vehicles and two engines” in Beijing’s auto industry and enjoyed nationwide reputation.  

BJ212 off-road vehicle

BJ130 light truck

Since China’s reform and opening-up, BAIC has been a pioneer in the international cooperation of China’s auto industry. Beijing Jeep, founded in 1983, was the first joint venture manufacturer of complete vehicles in China’s auto industry, with the main product “Cherokee” quite popular at the time. By 1993, BAIC achieved a leap in output from 0 to 1 million sets, laying a sound foundation for its take-off.   

Beijing Jeep Cherokee

The leap in output from 1 million to 10 million:

Achieving a leapfrog development and entering the fast lane

In the 21st century, two joint ventures that play a big role in the development of Beijing’s auto industry and BAIC, Beijing Hyundai and Beijing Benz, were incorporated in succession.

Beijing Hyundai’s first product Sonata rolls off the production line

As the first joint venture auto maker established after China’s entry into WTO, with the joint efforts of both Chinese and South Korean sides, Beijing Hyundai realized the production of vehicles in 2002, the same year when it was set up, and produced and sold 1 million sets in a period as short as 63 months, creating the “Hyundai speed” widely praised in the industry and achieving a historic turn for Beijing’s auto industry. Hyundai models like Elantra and Sonata were widely seen across Beijing, fulfilling the “sedan dream” of Beijing’s auto industry. Elantra even became one of the “three new must-have models” at that time.  

Beijing Benz’s main models

Benz’s settlement in Beijing in 2005 not only put an end to the absence of a luxury brand in Beijing’s auto industry and improved BAIC’s image and competitiveness, but also established the high-end position of Beijing’s auto industry in the country. Starting from the introduction of Benz C-class and E-class sedans, Beijing Benz has led China’s joint-venture luxury auto market for long. By far, Beijing Benz has successfully introduced Benz’s eight major models, becoming a joint venture that boasts the Daimler platforms for front wheel drive vehicles, rear wheel drive vehicles and electric vehicles and has both engine and power battery factories, and realized the export of both the core parts & components of engines and complete engines.  

During the period, BAIC improved the industrial chain for self-owned vehicles, and entered the fast lane of leapfrog development. In 2007, to run as a group, BAIC initiated an aggressive reform to the internal management system, which led to a fundamental change to the previous situation characterized by scattered distribution of ownership, weak strength and heavy burdens, and gave amazing vigor to its rejuvenation. In 2009, BAIC acquired SAAB’s IPRs and set up a complete vehicle manufacturing platform, embarking on the path to self-owned brand development for the second time. Meanwhile, it vigorously built five platforms respectively for complete vehicles, parts & components, R&D, service trade and reform & adjustment, and successively set up supporting enterprises across the industrial chain like BAIC Rocar and BHAP. Besides, with a forward-looking vision and a strong power of action, BAIC established BAIC BJEV, one of the first platforms for new energy vehicles at home, kicking off a new round of auto technology revolution.                                 

The leap in output from 10 million to 30 million:

Growing from big to strong  

In less than a decade from 2011, BAIC realized a leap in output from 10 million to 30 million sets and a jump in annual operating revenue from RMB200 billion to RMB500 million.

BAIC actively extended the industrial chain and expanded the value chain to create synergistic effects, growing from an operator of complete vehicles and parts & components to a large State-owned auto group that covers R&D and manufacturing of complete vehicles (including new energy vehicles), manufacturing of auto parts and components, auto service trade, general aviation, investment & financing, and mobility. In 2019, BAIC registered a sales volume of 2.26 million complete vehicles and an operating revenue of RMB501.23 billion, becoming the first State-owned enterprise under the municipal government with the annual operating revenue topping RMB500 billion and contributing greatly to the development of local economy. At present, BAIC has R&D facilities in seven places of five countries and complete vehicle and KD factories in 30-plus countries and regions, with market presence in over 80 countries and regions around the world, becoming an international enterprise with global influence and competitiveness.

BAIC unveils a new self-owned passenger vehicle brand BEIJING

BEIJING-X7, a pure space of utmost beauty 

In the new era, confronted with the opportunities and challenges resulted from the profound changes in the auto industry, BAIC introduces innovations, unswervingly advances the strategic transformation towards a manufacturing service and innovation-oriented enterprise, and promotes the changes in both development and profit patterns. Guided by the strategy of developing high-tech, innovative and distinctive products, it works to push forward quality development driven by new energy vehicles and intelligent connected vehicles in an all-round way.

In terms of new energy technologies, BAIC implements the new energy strategy across the Group. With control of the core technologies related to batteries, motors and electronic control, it improves the technical roadmap summarized as “focus on pure electric technologies and equal emphasis on electric, hybrid and fuel battery vehicles”, and works to build a whole industrial chain of new energy vehicles in which the manufacturing of complete new energy vehicles, manufacturing of parts and components and service trade coordinate with and support each other, so as to provide customers with green and intelligent urban mobility solutions that integrate products, services, charging and operation. BAIC BJEV has topped the national list of pure electric vehicles by sales volume for seven years in a row, and BAIC Bluepark becomes the No.1 stock in China’s new energy vehicle sector. In terms of intelligent and connected technologies, guided by the “dolphin plus strategy” and centered around four major fields, i.e. intelligent technologies, intelligent products, intelligent ecology and intelligent transport, BAIC has kept achieving new results by launching a number of intelligent vehicles such as BEIJING-EU5, BEIJING-EU7 and BEIJING-X7, and the booking for ARCFOX αT, the world’s first commercial auto product equipped with 5G, has started.

The global release of ARCFOX, a high-end brand of BAIC, is completed at the 2019 Geneva Auto Show.

BAIC’s high-end intelligent pure electric vehicle ARCFOX αT

BAIC strives to advance the upgrade of technologies and products of its own brands, quickly responding to user needs in quality, appearance, interior, space, controllability and configuration; it further strengthens the brand effects of “Big Beijing”, and builds the core competence of self-owned brands through differentiation advantage. By far, it has developed a brand-new matrix of self-owned brands consisting of ARCFOX, BEIJING, BJ Off-road, Foton and Changhe, all of which enjoy a cheerful outlook.

Beijing Off-road and BAIC Foton serve the celebration of the 70th anniversary of New China

Exceeding an output of 30 million sets indicate BAIC embraces a new milestone on its path to a century-old brand. The shift from quantitative change to qualitative change takes BAIC onto a new stage closer to its dream. With the fulfillment of its dream expectable, BAIC is embarking on a great journey towards the future with a stronger power.