Seat is heading to China. Volkswagen Group China and Anhui Jianghuai Automobile Group (JAC), the partners in the JAC Volkswagen Automotive joint venture, and Seat have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) which will see the VW Group’s Spanish brand team up with the JV and lead the project.
The agreement was signed by Seat president Luca de Meo, Volkswagen Group China president Dr Jochem Heizmann and JAC President An Jin in the presence of German chancellor Angela Merkel and Chinese prime minister Li Keqiang in Berlin on Monday.
The signing of this MoU signals a turning point for the Barcelona-based company. Since the creation of the joint venture in 2017, it has contributed in the areas of design and R&D. Under the agreement, Seat will become a shareholder of JAC Volkswagen, which will result in the introduction of the Seat brand in the Chinese market in 2020-2021.
“Our participation in this new phase of the joint venture is a milestone for Seat. Today will be remembered in the history of the company, as we are entering a new era that will enable us to globalise the brand and boost the development of electric vehicles,” de Meo said.
“China offers many opportunities for Seat and we are going to contribute mobility solutions to suit the needs of customers. This is also a chance for us to learn from the future trends that are developing in China,” he added.
The MoU also includes an agreement that the JV will establish an R&D centre in China to develop electric vehicles, connectivity and autonomous driving technologies, including relevant parts and components and core technologies, with operational use planned for 2021. The JV will launch a competitive electric car, it said.
Present in over 80 countries, Seat sold nearly 470,000 vehicles last year. The company employs more than 15,000 people and has three production centres in Spain (Barcelona, El Prat de Llobregat and Martorell) making the Ibiza, Leon and Arona. The Ateca and the Toledo are made in the Czech Republic, the Alhambra in Portugal and the Mii in Slovakia.
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Geely China should lead Proton brand to reenter the lucrative Chinese market too
China is the largest car market in the world hence every car manufacturer will want a slice of the Chinese pie. The JV with JAC will launch a competitive electric car(EV) by 2020-2021.
China also has one of the worst pollution problem in the world hence they use SEAT, the VW Group’s Spanish brand to team up in the JV & lead the project with a VW/SEAT EV. That’s a win win for China & VW/SEAT
You are right. Lucky Geely took over Proton and gave Proton some brains. Otherwise, Proton will still be selling cars to Malaysians until 2050 and have no goals for International markets
Tenkiu to ex-PM!
even mighty germans kowtow to chinese.
Its not kowtow. Every one wants a piece of the Chinese pie. VW is alreadythe number 1 brand in China. Now they are strengthening their grip on the number 1 position by bringing Seat in.
China buyers should stop buying USA vehicles brands like Buick , Cadillac , FORD , Jeep , Chevrolet and Lincoln
Please inform Donald Trump that China does not need American cars in her market. Donald Trump can raise any Tariffs he wants but European cars are still better .
Better reserve china market for more European brands and get rid of USA brands to create more rooms and at the same time not having to deal with the snobbish and arrogance intervention of USA in bending down to Trump.
Let American drive their own Junk cars manufactured from GM, FCA and FORD in their own country forever.
Anyway , most American cars are junks .
In fact the whole Asia should boycott American car. Not only China.
Trump complaint that Japanese don’t want to buy their cars but the Americans like to buy Japanese imports. He didn’t realize the stupidity that all American car makers never produce kei-cars for Japanese market, instead only make big gas-guzzlers that don’t even fit the Japanese parking space.
Asia should unite as 1 to counter Trump’s tariff madness.
the only Seat car i love was the 2005 Seat Leon designed by the great Walter de Silva..and it does looks good till now especially in flesh..