First Belarus-made VGV Sinotruk vehicles rolled off assembly line at Unison facility

The first Belarus-made VGV Sinotruk – seven-seater family vehicles – rolled off the assembly line of the Yunison Plant. According to Aleksei Vaganov, a representative of Unison shareholders, it’s planned to produce about 30,000 cars per year.

“We launched this project a year ago following the agreements reached by the President of Belarus during his state visit to China in March 2023. It is the second largest car manufacturer in China, employing about 150,000 people. They have experience of co-operation with our country. The technical project itself was certified in six months – a fairly short period. The vehicle is competitively priced, enabling it in a year to reach the production of 25-30 thousand vehicles annually. This task has been set by the Head of State,” he explained.

The first batch of cars was assembled by Belarusian and Chinese qualified specialists, whose tasks were to transfer their knowledge and skills to local workers.

“As far as localisation is concerned, welding, painting, gear and other elements will be used here,” Aleksei Vaganov added.

In the future, the company plans to launch a range of other models, including an all-wheel drive pickup truck. Alongside the production of cars with an internal combustion engine, the plant plans to establish the manufacture of electric vehicles.

“Belarus already boasts experience in car production. The Unison Plant fits harmoniously into the concept of expanding passenger car production capacities in our country,” Belarus’ First Deputy Industry Minister Aleksandr Ogorodnikov noted. “Localisation today is a mandatory element for any company with which we liaise. We have discussed not just the assembly of cars, but deep localisation with our Chinese partners.”

Belarus and Russia are the main sales market for these vehicles. Talks are currently underway with other EAEU members.

“We expect to continuously deepen co-operation,” Ge Hao, the Director General of China National Heavy Duty Truck Group Co. Ltd (Sinotruk VGV), said. “As for production volumes in Belarus, everything will depend on the market. The decision to localise the production of our vehicles in Belarus is an important step in our desire to increase production capacity. The Unison Plant has enough production capacity, and everything suits us. Moreover, this enterprise enjoys the support of the Government of Belarus and is a reliable partner.”