INCHCAPE has become the Australian distributor for Foton EV and ICE utes and vans and ICE trucks, effective in the last quarter of this year, opening the door to a fresh wave of Foton utes.
The move means there will be two distributors for Foton products with an ongoing distribution agreement already in place for Foton Mobility to distribute EV light and medium-duty trucks and hydrogen fuel-cell buses.
Inchcape distributes Subaru, Peugeot and Citroen in Australia but until now, has not partnered with Foton in any of its 39 global automotive distribution markets.In a statement, Inchcape said it would “focus on growing the presence of Foton’s light-duty trucks and re-launch the brand’s new generation (EV) utes into one of the most popular new-vehicle segments in the Australian market.”
“Expanding the brand’s light commercial vehicle offering, vans will be introduced to the local range within the following year and excitingly, the product pipeline for the Australian market also includes electrified Foton utes and vans.”
It said that the agreement “will leverage the strengths of both parties.
This including Inchcape’s “well-established distribution experience, comprehensive local market insights and advanced digital capabilities in delivering exceptional customer experiences”.
On the Foton side its strengths are “commercial vehicle manufacturing expertise across fuel and new-energy solutions, initiatives in technology innovation, and joint ventures with highly respected brands including:
- Cummins, a global leader in high-performance diesel engines
- ZF, a global leader in transmission and chassis technology
- Daimler, a global leader in manufacturing standards and partner in the design and manufacturing of the flagship Foton Auman truck.”
GoAutoNews Premium asked current Foton distributor, Foton Mobility Distribution, about the dual distribution arrangement.
Foton Mobility Distribution CEO and founder, Neil Wang, said that his company “has a current and binding distribution agreement with Foton International.”
“This agreement covers the rights to distribute Foton EV Light and Medium duty trucks, Foton EV bus and Foton Hydrogen bus in Australia in all states.
“The current agreement will continue based on usual commercial terms with our full commitment.” Its mandate to produce and sell EVs and fuel-cell vehicles is attributed to Mr Wang saying:
“The logistics industry has recognised that it is time to respond to the climate challenge, and here at Foton, we are fortunate to bring to market a package that leads the field in so many ways.”
Under FMD, Foton said it led the Australian EV truck sales charts in 2023 and is leading again as at June 2024.
It said it remains the Australian leader in new energy light trucks and is seeking further growth on the back of numerous key competitive advantages.
“Boasting a customer list that includes Woolworths, IKEA, Bunnings, Ausgrid and Kennards Hire, FMD is confident that Australian companies will continue to choose Foton EV light trucks for their zero-emission transition into the future,” Mr Wang said.
Inchcape Australasia managing director Colin Christie said: “The addition of the Foton distributorship enables Inchcape to diversify its local distribution portfolio by entering entirely new segments of the Australian market, including utes and light-duty trucks, and further strengthen our presence in the light commercial vehicle segment with Foton’s vans also forming part of the local product pipeline.” Inchcape is a publicly listed company headquartered in London that employs about 22,000 people globally including about 1400 in Australia and New Zealand.
Foton was founded in 1996 as Beiqi Foton Motor Company Ltd. It is a state-owned enterprise and has been listed on the Shanghai Stock Exchange since 1998.
It is the biggest commercial vehicle manufacturer in China and the first commercial vehicle enterprise with independent brand and technology in China to reach total sales of over 11-million units. It also sells in 130 countries and regions.
FMD is the wholly Australian-owned local distributor of Foton Global zero-emission products and has a nationwide EV dealer network from Cairns to Perth with key dealer partners such as Eagers Automotive Group in three states and CMV group in Victoria and South Australia with an extensive dedicated service and parts support across Australia.
By Neil Dowling