Pickup Truck Demand Surges In China Amidst Declining Overall Sales

China has fast become the world’s second-largest market for pickup trucks and manufacturers like Ford are rushing to cash in on demand for these vehicles.

Reuters reports that workers and mainstream consumers across China are demanding more pickup trucks than ever before thanks to the loosening of government restrictions.

Among the restrictions recently altered was the abandonment of a requirement that pickups sported large labels on their bodywork identifying them as commercial vehicles. Additionally, pickups are now allowed to enter some urban areas in four of the nation’s 31 mainland provincial-level areas from which they were formerly banned. China’s state planning body also announced in January that it will slowly relax restrictions on pickups in cities even further.

Overall demand for new vehicles fell in China last year for the first time since the 1990s, but pickup truck sales rose by 10 per cent to roughly 452,000 units. This pushed China ahead of Canada to become the second-biggest pickup market in the world behind the United States. Pickups still account for less than 2 per cent of overall sales in China, however, while the country remains the world’s largest car market overall.

Local automaker Great Wall is in currently developing its first consumer-oriented and leisure-focused pickup truck for the Chinese market, company president Wang Fengying revealed. This vehicle will be similar in size to the Ford Ranger and cost in excess of 200,000 yuan ($29,800), making it more than 70 per cent pricier than the most expensive pickup in its range right now.

Ford has joined Great Wall with renewed interest in offering pickups in China, and later this year will start selling a new pickup in the country. Ford currently offers the Ranger and F-150 Raptor, with prices ranging from 305,800 yuan ($45,570) for the former and 466,800 yuan ($69,565) for the latter.

“Ford continues to see growing opportunities in China’s pickup truck market, because of a combination of regulatory conditions and growing consumer interest,” a company spokesman revealed.

Local car manufacturers including Jiangling Motors, JAC Motors, and Geely are all said to be looking at developing all-electric pickup trucks to take advantage both of the country’s push towards electrification as well as customer demand for trucks.