It’s nowhere near the size of the big Chinese OEMs, yet JAC has had an enviable export business. The company also has a handful of car plants in various countries supporting heavy trucks and LCVs divisions.
In H1, the company delivered 284,986 passenger vehicles, a 79% gain compared to the same period in 2020, and exported 34,143 vehicles, a year-on-year rise of 126%.
Go deeper with GlobalData
Those numbers might look terrific but we should note that for China on its own, the picture is very different, even if things such as y-o-y comparisons can be misleading (Covid, chip shortages etc…). Passenger vehicle retail sales for the home market were down by 61% to only 2,953 in June and by 41% to 20,659. Looking at wholesale deliveries to dealers, the numbers are a bit worse, totals being 2,608 and 20,465.
Let’s take a look at some of the better performers as well as what will likely replace and supplement them later this decade. As the above data demonstrate, new models are becoming urgent.
Cars
In the C segment for electric cars, JAC has the iEVA5. The company began selling this sedan in September 2020. Not to be confused with the iEVA50 and based on the former Heyue, it has its own front end as well as a revised interior.
How well do you really know your competitors?
Access the most comprehensive Company Profiles on the market, powered by GlobalData. Save hours of research. Gain competitive edge.
Thank you!
Your download email will arrive shortly
Not ready to buy yet? Download a free sample
We are confident about the unique quality of our Company Profiles. However, we want you to make the most beneficial decision for your business, so we offer a free sample that you can download by submitting the below form
By GlobalDataAlthough there is only the one 56 kWh battery pack, there are two variants: 125 hp and 270 Nm or 150 hp and 330 Nm. The NEDC ranges are stated as being 402 km and 410 km respectively. A second generation will probably be launched in 2023.
A larger car called iC5 was launched in February 2020 but so far hasn’t caught the imagination of buyers in China. That might be because only five months later JAC revealed the near-identical Sol E50A at the Chengdu motor show
The 4,755 mm long electric five-door hatchback had originally premiered as the Jiayue A5 EV at the Guangzhou motor show in November 2019. That was two months after the debut of the petrol-powered variants appeared at the Chengdu show.
The IC5’s battery pack has a capacity of 64.5 kWh, while the single permanent magnet synchronous motor is claimed to produce 150 kW (204 PS) and 340 Nm. The maximum NEDC range is 530 km.
MPVs
Even though it’s coming up for seven years old, the Refine M3 remains the brand’s top seller. This MPV went on sale in China in November 2014, having debuted in pre-production form at the Beijing motor show seven months earlier.
Looking similar to the Nissan NV200, this 4.6 m long vehicle has a standard 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine. The next generation model should debut within months.
Due to be succeeded by a newer model in 2022, the Refine M4 also sells well – as with the M3 it’s cheap, one of the main attractions. Launched in 2016, JAC added a diesel option in 2020.
SUVs & crossovers
The S432 (codename) will be launched in the Chinese market later in 2021. Engine details and the model’s exact size are not yet known, only that it will be a crossover that is able to seat up to six occupants.
The sales launch of the Jiayue X4, a 4,410 mm SUV, took place in June 2020. The term ‘Jiayue’ is hard to translate but an English equivalent would be the encouragement, ‘Go for it!’. The standard engine is a 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol turbo and the model itself has strong links to the older Refine S4.
When it comes time to replace the Jiayue X4 in 2027, JAC will almost certainly switch it to an EV architecture. Roughly three years before that happens, the existing model should have a round of mid-cycle tweaks.
Pick-ups
The T6 was the first product for JAC’s plant at its production base in the city of Yangzhou. This factory had an original annual capacity of 100,000 units but has since been expanded. The Hilux/Tacoma-sized pick-up entered production there in December 2014. The standard engine is a 2.8-litre four-cylinder diesel.
A facelift is now only a few months away and a successor should follow in 2024.
JAC’s second pick-up after the T6 (also known as the Frisson) is called T8. This 5.3 m long model had its debut at the Beijing motor show in April 2018. The production version is a rival for Great Wall’s Wingle and powered by a 136 hp 2.0-litre diesel with 320 Nm of torque. A T8 Pro variant (see pic) will be added to the range next week.
All examples of the T8 are due to be facelifted in 2023 and replaced in 2027/2028.
The T9 (Shuai Ling T9 or Shuailing T9 in the Chinese market) is a 5,620 mm long pick-up which had its world premiere at the Beijing motor show in September 2020. Chinese market deliveries commenced three months later. Engine choice consists of a 150 hp 2.0 litre or a 190 hp 2.5 litre four-cylinder diesels. A petrol alternative should follow.
Like other JAC pick-ups, this one has a ladder-frame construction. There are RWD and 4WD variants and all launch variants had full sized doors but it is not known if there will be other body styles.
Expect an eight-year life cycle with a facelift in 2024.
Reports for many other manufacturers’ future models are grouped in the OEM product strategy summaries section of Just Auto. That includes JAC vehicles not detailed in this report.
Future platform intelligence
More detail on past, current and forthcoming models can be found in PLDB, the future vehicles database which is part of GlobalData’s Automotive Intelligence Center.
The next OEM for Just Auto’s future model reports series is Ford Motor Company. There will be two reports on the global Ford line-up, followed by one on Lincoln.
