Quest Motor to Begin Assembling JAC and Foton Models in Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe Pushes Local Procurement as Quest Motor Prepares to Assemble 180 Vehicles

Quest Motor Manufacturing is set to begin assembling JAC and Foton vehicle models in Zimbabwe next month.

This comes as the Government intensifies efforts to strengthen local procurement and cut reliance on imported vehicles.

The company expects to produce around 180 units in its initial rollout, marking a major step in the push for national industrial revival.

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Quest Motor Prepares to Roll Out New Vehicles

According to The Herald, General manager Carl Fernandes confirmed that production is expected to begin soon.

“We hope our recent push with Chinese partners will start to bear fruit in November this year, when our first parts arrive. We are looking forward to start with the JAC T9 double cab and moving on to the Foton Tunland V9… We are aiming to produce 180 vehicles in the next couple of months,” he said.

Quest Motor, founded in the early 1960s, has long engaged Chinese automotive brands to enhance production capacity.

China Extends Manufacturing Support

Chinese Ambassador to Zimbabwe, Ambassador Zhou Ding, expressed continued support for industrial partnerships between the two nations.

“We want to see more China-Zimbabwe cooperation beyond mining, in manufacturing and technology businesses, creating value chain jobs in Zimbabwe,” he said.

Ambassador Zhou highlighted the potential for the sector to contribute significantly to economic recovery under the Government’s Vision 2030 agenda.

Government Steps Up Local Procurement Enforcement

Meanwhile, the Government has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting local industries through a strict local procurement directive, as efforts intensify to reduce the national import bill.

Industry and Commerce Minister, Mangaliso Ndlovu, announced the renewed enforcement measures during a manufacturing sector tour in Mutare on Thursday.

“We have seen impressive progress in terms of capacity utilisation of our industries. As a Government, we have a policy position that prioritises local procurement… all Government ministries and departments will ensure that priority is given to procuring locally produced goods next year,” he said.

The Minister emphasized that boosting local consumption is key to sustaining jobs and driving regional export growth.

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