JAC Motors Switzerland
Over 60 years in the market
Although the name was previously unknown to most people, JAC already had many years of experience in the automotive industry. The brand was founded in the Chinese province of Anhui in 1964 and initially produced robust commercial vehicles for everyday use and adventure. The range grew rapidly and now includes everything from trucks and elegant SUVs to innovative electric cars. Today, JAC is one of the largest manufacturers of electric cars worldwide.
That is why Auto Kunz decided to focus on the brand in 2019. Last year, the next logical step followed: the car dealer withdrew from importing and the independent company "JAC Motors Switzerland" was founded. She and her four employees now take care of importing and marketing the models and look after the network of 22 dealers. Managing Director Jörg Appenzeller explains: "By separating from Auto Kunz, we ensure that we treat all dealers equally as an importer."
Wide range and spare parts
Since the first Mini-Stromer, JAC's range in Switzerland has grown. There are now city cars, two SUVs, and JAC is also active in the light commercial vehicle sector with pickups and delivery vans with combustion engines and electric motors. "We occupy a niche here too. No one else offers an electric pickup truck with all-wheel drive," explains Appenzeller. However, cars account for the majority of sales.
Appenzeller knows that customers initially had reservations because the brand comes from China: "At first, customers wondered how long JAC would be around and whether they would be able to get spare parts later on," recalls managing director Jörg Appenzeller. "But now we can look back on many years of presence. And the fact that we've been around for so long reassures new customers." And unlike other Chinese brands, which launched in Switzerland with much more fanfare, JAC receives less financial support from the state and is therefore more independent.
Italian design and VW expertise
Still have doubts? There's no reason to. Even the most popular car brand among Swiss consumers trusts JAC: VW. "The Volkswagen Group has entered into a joint venture with JAC to jointly produce and sell electric cars in China," explains Appenzeller. At the same time, JAC Motors has long since expanded its activities in Europe beyond Switzerland. Its models are now also available in Italy, France, Norway, Spain, and Poland, and last October JAC also launched in Germany. The small city runabout E30X was even designed by JAC Italy.
This Italian design suits the small city runabout very well. True to JAC's motto "Cheeky in design and cheeky in price," the E30X, starting at $16,989, always impresses with its two-tone paint job (except in black). And for this price, you also get VW expertise, which ensures flawless technology. And that's not just the case with the E30X, but also with the other JAC models. But that's not all, as managing director Jörg Appenzeller explains: "We are close to our customers. While big brands can be very anonymous, we still know our customers by name."
