Until recently, a new compact Chevrolet of Chinese origin was little more than a rumor. Now things have become much more serious: General Motors itself has confirmed the project. During a visit to China by GM South America chief Thomas Owsianski, the company signed a memorandum of intent with SAIC-GM-Wuling and said it is evaluating a new compact electric Chevrolet hatchback for South America. More than that, production in Brazil is also among the options under study.
Just do not put a Wuling Bingo Pro badge on the future car yet. GM has revealed neither the platform nor the commercial name or launch timing. Industry sources point to the Bingo Pro as the most likely donor, while reports had previously floated the return of the Joy name. For now, both remain speculation. What is official is simpler: Chevrolet really is preparing another compact EV for the region.
And the candidate is an intriguing one. The Wuling Bingo Pro measures 4050 mm long with a 2560 mm wheelbase and uses a 65 kW front electric motor, equivalent to about 88 hp. In China it is offered with CLTC ranges of 330 or 403 km. SGMW's official prices run from 56,800 to 70,800 yuan. But copying those numbers onto the future Chevrolet would make little sense: local assembly, taxes, equipment and warranty policy will almost certainly create a very different price.
For GM, this playbook is no longer an experiment. The Chevrolet Spark EUV grew out of the Baojun Yep Plus, while the Captiva EV is related to the Wuling Starlight S. Both are now produced in Brazil: Spark EUV production began in December 2025 and Captiva EV production followed in June 2026. Brazil became the first country outside China to manufacture both models.
The next move is already known. GM intends to launch production of the Captiva PHEV at the PACE facility before the end of the year. And the plant is clearly being prepared for more than three cars and a nice press release: the company has already said capacity could rise to 50,000 vehicles a year in a later phase. That is why the new agreement with SAIC-GM-Wuling looks less and less like a one-off rebadging exercise. The Chinese joint venture supplies ready-developed products and speed, while Chevrolet adapts them for other markets and gradually moves assembly closer to customers.
That is what makes this announcement important. As recently as the summer, the Wuling Bingo Pro was only a presumed candidate for the role of an affordable Chevrolet. Now GM itself has confirmed that the compact electric hatchback project exists. The intrigue remains, though: the company has not said whether the donor will really be the Bingo Pro, whether the Joy name will return, or whether the new model will receive final approval for production in Brazil. The biggest rumor has become an official project, but GM is still keeping the best details to itself.
