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Following earlier announcements by BYD and Chery, Chinese electric vehicle maker SWM Motors has become the latest company to confirm production plans in Türkiye, according to its Türkiye director.
Burak Azmanoglu, Türkiye Commercial Director of SWM Motors, announced during a live broadcast on Tuesday that the company will begin local production in the final quarter of 2025. The factory will be located in Eskisehir, with an initial annual capacity of 25,000 vehicles, and plans for future expansion.
SWM will manufacture its plug-in hybrid and gasoline-powered SUV models in Türkiye, starting with facelifted versions of the G01 and G03. Once local production begins, SWM plans to end imports from China altogether.
The company initiated the process in August 2024 by filing an application with Türkiye’s Industry and Technology Ministry to launch manufacturing operations in the country.
This move follows similar investments, with BYD preparing to launch production in the Aegean city of Manisa through a $1 billion investment. Chery has also been in talks to establish operations in Samsun, with negotiations ongoing with the Turkish government. All three companies aim to leverage Türkiye’s strategic location and industrial capacity to serve both domestic and export markets, as part of a broader strategy to expand into the EU.
SWM Motors, originally an Italian brand, was acquired by China's Shineray Group in 2014 and integrated into Brilliance Shineray Chongqing Automobile Co. Ltd. in 2016.
In Türkiye, SWM operates through ATMO Group, which has partnered with Urzema Holding to carry out the investment. Founded and managed by the Ozturk family, Urzema is involved in commercial vehicle equipment, trailer and truck components, railway systems, and defense industry manufacturing.
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