GAC Group has posted a strong third-quarter performance, with revenue growth outpacing the broader Chinese auto market as the state-owned automaker leans further into new-energy vehicles (NEVs) and overseas sales. According to PCauto, GAC's consolidated operating revenue for the first three quarters of 2026 reached 75.156 billion yuan (about $10.6 billion), up 12.29% year on year. In the third quarter alone, revenue hit 28.423 billion yuan (about $4.0 billion), a 17.91% increase, accelerating from the nine-month average.
The growth comes amid a challenging domestic market, where price competition and shifting consumer preferences have squeezed many automakers. GAC's recovery is tied to a deliberate shift in its sales mix. In the third quarter, the group sold 172,200 NEVs, a 50.79% jump from a year earlier, lifting the NEV share of total sales by 24 percentage points. Self-branded models—which include GAC's own marques rather than joint-venture products—rose 15.39% to 184,100 units, increasing their share by 11 percentage points. The company said self-owned brands and NEVs have become the core drivers of growth.
Brand-by-brand progress
Within GAC's portfolio, the Hyper and Aion brands (the latter a BEV-focused marque) sold more than 100,000 vehicles in the third quarter, up 51.17% year on year, helped by a wave of new models. Trumpchi, GAC's mainstream brand, continued to hold its ground in the MPV and SUV segments, while the newly launched Qijing brand has received encouraging order intake. On the joint-venture side, GAC Toyota and GAC Honda maintained steady output, with higher-value models contributing to sales.
Exports are another bright spot. GAC shipped 76,000 vehicles in the third quarter, a 151.2% surge year on year, pointing to new growth from overseas markets. The company is also moving forward with its previously announced plan to acquire a 50% stake in FAW Toyota from FAW Group. A joint working group has been set up, and the transaction is in the implementation stage, which analysts expect could optimise GAC's business layout and profitability.
Beyond cars: robots and low-altitude economy
GAC is also pushing into frontier sectors. Its incubated companies Huilun Technology and Gaoyu Technology, which focus on humanoid robots and low-altitude economy solutions respectively, have entered mass production and completed several hundred million yuan in funding rounds during the third quarter. The group said commercial delivery is accelerating. On the investment side, several of GAC's portfolio companies have gone public, generating ongoing returns from its industrial ecosystem.
