Asian automotive brands risk taking the biggest blow from lost Iran exports, a study shows. Toyota alone may cut 40,000 vehicles from its production line due to Middle East logistics worries, says publisher auto.pub.
The escalating military conflict in the Middle East is ripping apart global trade, and China’s fast growing car export industry is among the first sectors to feel the shock.
Following US and Israeli air strikes on Iran in late February, key logistics routes across the region have been massively disrupted. Shipping corridors that once carried vehicles and components between Asia, the Gulf and Europe are suddenly uncertain. For Chinese carmakers that rely heavily on long distance export logistics, the timing could hardly be worse.
One of the most immediate impacts was felt at the Port of Jebel Ali in Dubai, a crucial distribution centre for Chinese vehicles heading to the Middle East, North Africa and Central Asia.
An attack on March 1 forced port operators to temporarily halt operations. While some terminals have since reopened, many shipping companies have suspended services in the area, effectively leaving the port operating far below normal capacity.
The situation worsened when Iran moved to close the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important energy and shipping corridors. The closure threatens not only vehicle shipments but also the global fuel supply chain, pushing oil prices higher and increasing logistics costs across multiple industries.
Until recently, China’s automotive sector expected another year of steady expansion. According to the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers, exports in 2026 were projected to grow by around 4.3%, reaching roughly 7.4 million vehicles.
The sudden escalation in the Gulf now casts serious doubt on those forecasts.
However Chinese manufacturing giant Great Wall Motor remains undeterred, with its sights set on another bumper year in Australia. And it has bold plans on how to achieve its next ambitious sales target.
GWM hit a high of 52,809 sales in 2025-26 landing in seventh place on the overall sales tally, just 400 sales ahead of BYD, but a hefty 8400 units behind sixth-placed Mitsubishi (61,198).
One of GWM’s biggest dealerships in Brisbane reports record sales for the Alpha over January-February with increased sales to continue even with the looming shortage of fuel and the inevitable price hikes that will follow.
Electric cars? Global demand for EVs has cooled in recent months after a dramatic rise over the last decade, leading several major car manufacturers to scale back electrification plans. But despite a slowing domestic economy, China is steaming ahead with its own transition to EVs.
While Western nations have focused on the competitive threat of Chinese EVs, a different challenge is reshaping the auto industry. Beijing’s automakers are saturating emerging and second-tier markets with fossil-fuel vehicles, often undercutting their foreign partners.
So, let’s check out a Chinese brand that in Australia has maintained popularity, increased sales and taken a two-way bet on electric and internal combustion engines.
The Chinese manufacturing giant Great Wall Motor Co’s Cannon Alpha is a ute offered to Aussie trades in cab-chassis (double-cab) or pick-up (double-cab) body styles available in from $49,990 for the Lux variant and topping out at $66,990 for the Ultra Phev variant.
Specifically, the Alpha PHEV combines a 2-litre turbo-charged petrol engine with a nine-speed automatic gearbox, integrated electric motor and big 37.1 kWh battery split between two units.
There are five variants in a generation of GWM vehicles that first went on sale in mid-2024.
Engine options include a 2Lin-line 4-cylinder turbo hybrid (300 kW/750 Nm), 2L in-line 4-cylinder turbo hybrid (255 kW/648 Nm) and 2.4L in-line 4-cylinder turbo (1.35 kW/480 Nm). All variants feature nine-speed automatic transmissio and feature 4×4.
This is GWM’s answer to the popular BYD Shark 6 and the incoming Ford Ranger plug-in hybrid.
Even in the Cannon Lux there are features such as electrically adjustable synthetic leather seats and a big 14.6-in. multimedia touchscreen with, as stanadard, wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, dual-zone climate control, LED headlights, daytime running lights and tail-lights, plus the 4X4 functions for off-roading such as a big panoramic sunroof, wireless charging at the front and rear, a 10-speaker sound system, a head-up display, a split tailgate and importantly, red brake callipers.
The Cannon Alpha varies in fuel consumption depending on the variant. GWM claims 9.8 L/100 km for the PHEV petrol-electric hybrid; 1.7L/100 km for the PHEV when the battery is charged and 7.9L/100 km when the battery is depleted.
These figures indicate the efficiency of the model across different fuel types and configurations.
The Cannon Alpha is offered with a seven-year unlimited km warranty.
