#China #Beijing #Commercial Vehicles #global strategy #FOTON

FOTON Motor's Global Vision at the 2026 Partners Conference

On November 9, 2025, FOTON Motor held its 2026 Global Partners Conference in Beijing, themed "Drive to Great." The event attracted over 2,000 participants from more than 140 countries, including prominent figures such as FOTON Motor's Chairman, Chang Rui, and CEO, Wu Xibin. The conference was a key moment, showcasing FOTON's commitment to advancing its stature as a world-class commercial vehicle manufacturer.

Establishing a Global Strategy for Growth

As the automobile industry in China is undergoing rapid changes driven by industrial intelligence, digitization, and connectivity, FOTON Motor is keen to be at the forefront of this evolution. During the conference, Chang Rui introduced the FOTON Global Strategy Report, which outlines the company’s ambitious goals: by 2030, new energy vehicles are expected to constitute over 50% of their product line, international sales will exceed 300,000 units, and the company aims to build itself into a world-class entity with leading designs, manufacturing processes, and quality experiences.

To accomplish these objectives, FOTON plans to accelerate its overseas investments, launching over 10 industrial sites in crucial regions including Thailand, Indonesia, South Africa, Brazil, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, and the European Union over the next five years. In addition to manufacturing facilities, FOTON aims to establish a comprehensive ecosystem that incorporates spare parts, used vehicle sales, fleet management, and other related services, thereby enhancing customer satisfaction and product competitiveness.

Expanding Regional Collaborations in Emerging Markets

FOTON's journey from China to global markets has been underpinned by a vision focused on openness, collaboration, and proactive market engagement. During the conference, pivotal figures from emerging markets, such as Victor Queiroz, Chief Representative of ApexBrasil for the Asia-Pacific region, spoke about Brazil's significance in FOTON's global expansion. Queiroz highlighted how FOTON's facility in southern Brazil has made strides in localized production, most notably with its new, all-electric Aumark light-duty truck.

Additionally, the South African Chargé d'Affaires, Mogamat Mahdi Basadien, emphasized FOTON's local assembly plant as one of the most significant automotive investment projects in the country in nearly four decades. He noted FOTON's recent milestone in launching the first locally assembled pickup truck, marking a significant achievement in South Africa's automotive landscape. The South African Government is eager to deepen cooperation with FOTON in several areas including parts localization and the development of new energy vehicles.

Driving Product Innovation and Sustainability

As FOTON navigates the transition to becoming a globally recognized leader in commercial vehicles, it is aligning its strategic focus with key market trends. Lu Zhenghua, Executive Vice President (EVP) of FOTON, pointed out that the Chinese commercial vehicle sector is rapidly evolving, becoming dominated by new energy vehicles and intelligent technologies. FOTON's strategy centers around embracing these changes with a multi-faceted approach including fully electric, hybrid, and hydrogen technologies.

In the realm of new energy vehicles, FOTON has developed its IECO three-in-one system, achieving an impressive efficiency rate. The introduction of smart features aims to enhance safety and productivity, transforming vehicles into mobile productivity platforms.

Setting Ambitious Sales Targets and Recognition

Looking ahead to 2026, Fu Jun, Vice President of FOTON Motor and President of FOTON International, shared the company's ambitious overseas sales targets, which include a projection of 200,000 units sold, a 70% increase in heavy-duty truck sales, and continued growth in light-duty vehicles. The strategy emphasizes fostering new product innovations particularly in electric and sustainable vehicle solutions.

To acknowledge productive partnerships, FOTON also awarded over 10 honors at the conference, such as the Excellence in New Product Promotion Award and the Best Rising Star Award.

FOTON Motor aims not only to equip customers with energy-efficient solutions that boast increased performance and safety but also to facilitate a significant shift towards green technologies in the industry. Through the full implementation of its new strategy and product initiatives, FOTON is positioned to reinforce its global market presence and contribute to evolving global logistics with a distinctly Chinese influence.