Buick's Zhijing electric-vehicle sub-brand has reached a milestone that few joint-venture players in China have managed: 150,000 vehicles produced in just 16 months since the brand's debut in April 2024. The achievement, reported by Chinese outlet 电动邦 (Dian Dong Bang), offers a concrete answer to the question of whether legacy joint ventures can compete in China's fast-moving new-energy market.
Zhijing, which spans sedans, SUVs and MPVs, has also seen its E7 model hit 30,000 units, setting a record for the fastest joint-venture new-energy product to reach 10,000 deliveries. The Zhijing Shijia MPV became the best-selling luxury new-energy MPV above 400,000 yuan (about $56,300) in the first half of 2026, according to the report.
Scale with pricing power
Perhaps more telling than volume is the price point. Zhijing's average transaction price reached 257,000 yuan (about $36,200), and the brand has held the title of joint-venture new-energy sales leader for four consecutive months. In August, new-energy models accounted for 42% of Buick's top-ten selling models. The combination of high transaction prices and rapid volume growth suggests the brand is winning on product appeal rather than discounting, the report said.
Zhijing is among the first joint-venture brands to offer a complete lineup across body styles and powertrains, covering BEV (battery-electric), PHEV (plug-in hybrid) and EREV (range-extender) options. Customer data shows 86.68% of buyers chose mid-to-high trim levels, and 70% considered the five-constant health cockpit a must-have feature. The cockpit, which manages light, air, temperature, humidity and noise, has become a key differentiator, according to Dian Dong Bang.
Usage patterns reinforce the focus on comfort. The Zhijing Shijia's three-row seating sees 50% higher usage during holidays, the E7's child-focused features like eye-protection lighting are used on 57.8% of weekends, and the L7's zero-gravity seats are used on 65.6% of workdays for midday rest. Word-of-mouth is strong: 41% of owners have made at least one effective referral, and 87% have invited friends or family to experience the vehicle.
Safety and incentives
Zhijing claims its vehicles have passed 20 million kilometres of durability testing and two summer-winter extreme climate cycles. The Ultium battery platform has accumulated 6.4 billion kilometres without a single self-ignition incident. The brand's industry-first "Golden Stone Promise" offers free vehicle replacement for eligible non-commercial owners if accident damage exceeds 30% of the purchase price within three years, a benefit that has already been triggered by at least one customer.
From September 16, Buick launched a "Golden September" promotion with 15 billion yuan (about $2.1 billion) in purchase subsidies. Zhijing and GL8 Lushang models get high-value deposit expansion and trade-in subsidies, with Zhijing L7 and E7 trade-in prices starting at 149,900 yuan (about $21,100). All prices are Chinese guide prices before taxes and incentives.
The Zhijing approach, which blends General Motors' global engineering standards with local innovation speed, shows that joint-venture brands can succeed in China's EV market when they build systems rather than just launch models. The 150,000-unit milestone is a stage marker, not the finish line, and sustaining product iteration will determine how far Zhijing can go, the report concluded.
