Sharon Chigeza
MUTARE – Quest Motors Manufacturing is set to bolster Zimbabwe’s automotive industry with the upcoming local assembly of Foton’s Tunland V9 pickup trucks at its Mutare plant.
The landmark project is expected to create up to 500 new local jobs by 2026, providing a significant boost to skills development, value addition, and the nation’s industrial capacity.
Quest Motors Manufacturing is expecting to assemble more than 100 vehicles in the next six months. This partnership with Chinese brands means the company is assembling buses as well as twin cab vehicles amid calls for Government to intensify local procurement.
Quest Motors General Manager, Carl Fernandes said Chinese pick-ups and buses have dominated the market in Zimbabwe.
“We looking at doing 180 vehicles in the next couple of months and depending on demand those figures could change,” he said.
The initiative underscores the deepening industrial cooperation between China and Zimbabwe.
Chinese Ambassador to Zimbabwe Zhou Ding is thrilled with the collaboration, highlighting its potential to drive economic growth and development within the country.
“We want to see more China-Zimbabwe cooperation beyond mining, in manufacturing and technology businesses, creating value chain jobs in Zimbabwe. I am pleased with the partnership between Quest Motor Manufacturing and Foton, which will revive operations here.
“We will continue to support investors who want to come to Zimbabwe. Zimbabweans are hardworking, and the economy will soon rebound if the government’s 2030 agenda is implemented,” he said.
This venture aligns directly with the Zimbabwean Government’s policy to promote local manufacturing, reduce reliance on imports, and prioritise domestically produced goods.
The move is expected to provide the market with high-quality and affordable Foton pickups, catering to both Zimbabwe and neighbouring countries.
With the first batch of assembly equipment scheduled to arrive in November, Quest Motors is poised to commence its production line. The rollout will begin with the assembly of the JAC T9 double cab, followed by the highly anticipated Foton Tunland V9 pickup in January 2026.
New Ziana
