Photo/Dong Tianyi (NBD)

China's Xiamen City recently announced that starting from May 17th, 2023, multi-purpose trucks (i.e. pickup trucks) will no longer be restricted from traveling on all roads in the city.

Not long ago, Shanghai’s Qingpu District also lifted restrictions on pickup trucks during morning and evening rush hours, giving pickup trucks and passenger cars equal road rights during these times.

According to data released by the Ministry of Public Security in March of this year, 97% of cities at or above the prefecture level across the country have lifted restrictions on pickup trucks on city roads.

With the easing of restrictions, the pickup truck market is likely to be the next super market, which will see explosive sales growth following the SUV market.

Data from the China Passenger Car Association’s Pickup Market Information Joint Conference shows that domestic pickup truck sales reached 42,000 units in April 2023, representing a year-on-year increase of 24.5%. From January to April, cumulative sales of pickup trucks reached 164,000 units, slightly down 0.5%.

Data from the China Passenger Car Association shows that in April of this year, China’s export volume of pickup trucks totaled 8,900 units, representing a year-on-year increase of 16.5%. Among them, exports from Great Wall Pickup Trucks, JAC Motors, SAIC Maxus and Foton Motors accounted for more than 30% of their total exports.

According to incomplete statistics, there are currently more than ten electric pickup truck models on the market for sale, such as Geely Automobile's all-electric pickup truck Radar RD6 and SAIC Maxus T90EV., etc.