The automobile industry in Taiwan is interconnected in multiple directions. This is the production of passenger cars, automotive spare parts, and automotive electronics. Moreover, their assembly does not play a decisive role in the country’s economy, although approximately 3,000 companies are associated with the automotive industry. Hotai Motor, China Motor Corporation, Yulon Nissan Motor, and Honda Taiwan head the rating. In addition, local industrialists are actively investing in electric models. Not surprisingly, 75% of Tesla’s employees are Taiwanese residents.
What are the Taiwanese automobile brands?
The automotive industry in Taiwan is quite developed, although it is not the locomotive of the local economy. The major brands are Hotai Motor, Yulon Motors, Luxgen, Yulon GM, China Motor Corporation, Chin Chun Motors, Kuozui Motors, Ford Lio Ho, Honda Taiwan, Her Chee, SYM Motors, Formosa Automobile, Ta Ching Motor, and Prince Motors.
Hotai Motor
It is a conglomerate founded in 1947. Its activities involve the manufacture, advertising, and sale of automobiles and automotive parts. Lee Ho Huang founded it and supplied small cars and cars under the Toyota and Lexus brands.
It also manufactures a range of large vehicles, including trucks, under the Toyota and Hino brands. However, unlike similar structures, the company has two subsidiaries dealing with auto insurance, auto parts, and auto leasing. In other words, this manufacturer dominates all areas of the automotive industry.
Yulon Motors
This is one of Taiwan’s largest automobile manufacturers. It assembles passenger cars under Nissan’s license. Until 1992 (when the company was founded in 1953), the manufacturer was named Yue Loong; thereafter, it was shortened to Yulon. Today, the company is among the four leading companies in the Taiwanese automobile market. It forms a holding company with several brands: Yulon Rental, Carnival Industrial Corporation, Yulon Financial, Yulon-Nissan Motor, and others.
In 2010, the organization created the Luxgen brand to sell its cars. It also sells several Nissan and Renault series. The Nissan lineup is particularly broad, comprising the March, Verita, Sentra, Teana, Serena, and X-Trail models.
Luxgen
This company produces cars under the Yulon brand and is 100% owned by its parent company. It forms a single entity, Dongfeng, with the Chinese automaker Dongfeng Yulon. Luxgen supplies the PRC market with several passenger car models: S5, S3, U5, U6, 7 MPV, and 7 SUV. The company is headquartered in the Miaoli district.
Yulon GM
The structural division between Yulon and General Motors no longer exists. It dissolved in 2012, although it once successfully sold Cadillac, Buick, and Opel vehicles. The company also designed and assembled the Buick Excelle and Buick Lacrosse. Following a poor rating that precipitated financial collapse, the partnership between the Taiwanese and American companies was terminated, and the joint venture was dissolved.
China Motor Corporation
Taiwan’s Taipei-based CMC produces well-equipped, modern Mitsubishi and DaimlerChrysler vehicles. It is also their primary overseas supplier, offering modernized models for export. In 2021, its lineup included a wide range of Mitsubishi passenger cars: the Zinger (based on the Challenger platform), Space Gear, Savrin, Grunder (an Asian variant of the Galant series), and Lancer. Since 2006, Chrysler has produced an extensive line of cars. The company has extensive experience, having been in the market since 1969.
Chin Chun Motors
This automotive organization began operations in 1991 in Taoyuan, where it remains based today. It is a partnership formed by Chinfon Huanyu and Volkswagen AG. Also, Chin Chun Motors is a subsidiary of the Chinfon Group. It currently manufactures Hyundai commercial vehicles in Taiwan.
Kuozui Motors
This Taiwanese automaker specializes in producing Toyota vehicles. The list includes many series such as Yaris, Zace, Wish, Camry, Altis, and Vios. In addition to assembly, it handles passenger-car sales and after-sales maintenance. The company began as a subsidiary of Hino Motors and Hotai Motor. In the 1980s, it spun out of them and became an independent entity. But in 2008, Hotai Motor and Toyota increased their stakes in Kuozui Motors, gaining a controlling interest.
Ford Lio Ho
Ford Lio Ho was founded as a Ford passenger-car assembly plant in Taiwan. From the mid-1980s through the 1990s, it handled cars based on the Mazda 626 and 323. These were intended by Ford Motor Company for delivery to countries in the Asia-Pacific region and were known as the Telstar, Ford Laser, and Explorer. The current lineup is much broader, including adapted Mazda and Ford models. The company was founded in 1972. Only 70% of the shares are owned by Ford, with the rest held by Lio Ho investors.
Honda Taiwan
This plant is wholly owned by the Japanese conglomerate Honda Motor Co., Ltd. He founded it in 2002 after local firms ceased cooperating with him. As a result, the foreign company established a separate enterprise where it began producing its CR-V and Accord series cars (in 2003), the Civic (in 2006), and the Fit (in 2008).
Her Chee
This company focuses on producing small SUVs and compact side-by-side all-terrain vehicles in Taiwan. Additionally, Taiwanese manufacturers produce ATVs, scooters, and motorcycles. The company’s full name, Her Chee Industrial, indicates its specialization in the industrial sector and its lack of independent development.
SYM Motors
Sanyang Motor Co., Ltd. was established in 1954. It was founded in Taipei by entrepreneurs Chang Kuo An and Huang Chi-Chung. The company is headquartered in Hsinchu County and has three factories in Taiwan, China, and Vietnam. Its main product range consists of ATVs, motorcycles, scooters (under the SYM brand), mini trucks, and cars (under the Hyundai brand).
Formosa Automobile
The automobile company, founded in 1996, was established following the acquisition of Sanfu Motor Co., Ltd.’s factory in bankruptcy. The Formosa Plastics Group financed it and subsequently assembled Daewoo cars from 2003 to 2006. It produced various other models under its Formosa brand. In 2004, it abandoned it due to financial losses. To recover, the company tried to partner with Skoda, but also failed. It now has only one line to produce Dutch DAF trucks.
Ta Ching Motor
This Taiwanese company, founded in 1989, assembled Subaru cars. Its main industrial sites were located in Pingtung. The company also developed a unique sedan, the Subaru Justy. In 2002, the manufacturer ceased operations.
Prince Motors
The initiator of this firm’s creation was a politician and businessman, Hsu Sheng-fa. It was founded in 1965. Initially, it was engaged in the assembly of passenger and commercial vehicles and was a key supplier of Japanese trucks, including Mitsubishi Kato and Komatsu. Since 1971, Prince Motors Co. has manufactured Nissan Homer vehicles. After the contract with that corporation ended, the company entered into a long-term agreement with Isuzu and Suzuki and relocated the assembly line to New Taipei (Tucheng District). But in 2011, the Taiwanese company went bankrupt.
Thunder Power
Thunder Power is a modern electric car brand positioned as a future car. High speed, energy-consuming batteries, noise-absorbing interiors, and innovative design characterize them. The Thunder Power logo is large and is located in the front grille. The badge is shaped like an oval diverging over water and consists of three elements stylized in shiny metal.
Tobe
This is a proprietary brand of the Taiwanese automaker Yulon Motor Company, which produces inexpensive superminis. Passenger cars have been produced in Miaoli city since 2009. The Tobe logo is circular, with an orange center bearing the brand name. It is made in lowercase font and arranged in two rows. Like the frame, the lettering has a metallic texture and a shiny surface.
CMC
The abbreviation of this Taiwanese automaker and distributor stands for China Motor Corporation. The company has operated since 1969 and is based in Taipei. The current CMC logo has been in use since 2015. It is made as a horizontal rhombus, divided by a vertical stripe into two identical triangles, and supplemented with a blue name at the bottom.