Covers mass-market to premium EVs via MG, Roewe, IM Motors, and RISING Auto across passenger and commercial segments. China's largest state-owned automaker and one of the top 5 globally by total volume with strong export presence. Targets European and global markets primarily through the MG brand while developing next-gen smart EV platforms domestically.
Product Lineup Timeline
Key Milestones
Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation (SAIC) traces its founding to a Shanghai Internal Combustion Engine Co spin-off; restructured 1984 as Shanghai Volkswagen JV with VW (China's first auto JV) ushers in modern auto manufacturing.
SAIC-GM-Wuling JV established with GM and Liuzhou Wuling — the three-way JV later builds China's most successful low-cost vehicle line and produces the world-conquering Hongguang Mini EV.
SAIC's R Auto sub-brand launches the first MARVEL X EV — an early move into premium electric SUVs ahead of NIO/XPeng/Li Auto becoming dominant in the segment.
Wuling Hongguang Mini EV (SAIC-GM-Wuling JV) launches at ~$4,500 — becoming China's best-selling EV through 2021-22 and the global mini-EV phenomenon that proves a price point exists below $5K for usable city EVs.
Forms IM Motors (Zhiji) JV with Alibaba and Zhangjiang Hi-Tech to launch a premium intelligent EV brand — SAIC's answer to NIO/XPeng with cloud-AI partner Alibaba and 73% SAIC ownership.
MG Mulan (renamed MG4 EV globally) launches in China as SAIC's first mass-market global EV hatchback — built on SAIC's MSP platform with rear-wheel drive, designed specifically for European compact-segment exports.
IM L7 sedan launches after Shanghai lockdown delay — IM Motors' first volume model and an early Chinese deployment of LiDAR-based assisted driving on a non-Tesla platform.
MG4 EV becomes the best-selling EV from a Chinese brand in Europe — validating SAIC's export strategy and turning the British-origin MG marque into China's most successful European EV beachhead.
EU imposes additional tariffs on SAIC EVs at 35.3% (highest in the China-EU EV tariff package), citing alleged subsidies and SAIC's lack of cooperation — triggering pricing strategy reset and accelerating SAIC's local-production plans.
New-generation MG4 EV relaunches in China at ~$10,100 with semi-solid-state battery option from QingTao — hits 11,067 pre-orders in 24 hours and signals SAIC's push into next-gen battery chemistries.
New MG4 surpasses 10,000 deliveries in 24 days from launch — the fastest sales ramp ever for an MG-brand EV and a vindication of MG's 'sub-RMB 100K LFP EV' strategy.
SAIC and Audi announce launch of co-developed AUDI E5 Sportback — a co-engineered EV using SAIC's IM platform and Audi design, signaling a new era of Chinese-platform/foreign-badge collaboration.