Chinese automaker Zotye Automobile International Co. will open a network of dealerships in the United States by 2020, it has announced.
Zotye USA, the automaker’s American distributor that was formed late last year, plans to open 19 brick and mortar stores on US soil before the end of 2020.
The storefronts will be operated by a number of experienced dealers with history selling mainstream brands like Hyundai, Honda, Buick-GMC and others. Zotye is looking to set itself apart from other brands by offering a customer-focused, “no-haggle experience,” according to Automotive News. Its vehicles will also be priced below much of the competition.
The Chinese company has not said what vehicle it plans to sell in the US first, but rumors point to it being the Zotye T600 – a mid-size crossover with an available range of turbocharged four-cylinder gas engines.
Eventually, Zotye is hoping to have a foothold in 80 different US markets with over 300 storefronts.
Look for the first Zotye vehicle to go on sale in the United States by mid-to-late 2020. If Zotye meets its target, the T600 could be one of the first Chinese cars sold en-masse in the US.
Zotye gained some notoriety in North America after images of its SR9 crossover went viral, which bared a striking resemblance to the Porsche Macan crossover. The SR9’s predecessor, the SR7, looked nearly identical to the Audi Q3.
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