U.S. Representatives John Moolenaar and Debbie Dingell introduced legislation to restrict Chinese-linked connected vehicles and components, against a backdrop of vehicle launches and manufacturing agreements involving Chinese carmakers in Africa.
Whether additional U.S. restrictions would divert exports to Africa, intensify competition for local assemblers or affect vehicle prices remains unconfirmed. The companies’ announcements describe African launches and prospective investments without attributing them to the bill.
Proposed restrictions build on existing U.S. rules
The Connected Vehicle Security Act would prohibit the importation, manufacture and sale of covered connected vehicles and associated software and hardware. The proposal covers China, Russia, North Korea and Iran. Moolenaar and Dingell presented it as a measure to protect national security and U.S. automotive manufacturing.
The sponsors described proposed prohibitions on covered vehicles and software beginning January 1, 2027, with hardware prohibitions beginning January 1, 2030. Those dates are provisions of the proposed legislation, rather than an enacted blanket ban on Chinese vehicles and auto parts.
The Commerce Department already finalized regulations in January 2025 restricting certain connected-vehicle technologies linked to China or Russia. Those rules cover passenger vehicles weighing under 10,001 pounds. Software restrictions and prohibitions on sales by covered manufacturers begin with model year 2027. Hardware restrictions begin with model year 2030, or January 1, 2029, for units without a model year.
In a separate letter, Dingell and 73 other House Democrats urged President Donald Trump to maintain and strengthen barriers to Chinese automakers. The lawmakers called for restrictions on Chinese-owned or controlled vehicles regardless of where they are assembled. Their appeal preceded Trump’s planned mid-May meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing.
African launches and manufacturing agreements
BYD said it launched the Shark, Sealion 6 and Sealion 7 in South Africa on April 3, 2025, bringing its lineup there to six models. The range included battery-electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles. BYD also said it would expand and strengthen its sales and after-sales network.
Great Wall Motor said it signed a memorandum of understanding with Senegalese distributor CCBM at the 2024 China-Africa Cooperation Forum in Beijing to establish a vehicle assembly factory in Senegal. The company also described investment discussions with Egyptian officials. The Senegal project was at the memorandum stage in that announcement.
Chery SA’s plans involved existing manufacturing assets. Nissan announced an agreement for Chery SA to purchase the land, buildings and associated assets of its Rosslyn facilities in South Africa, including a nearby stamping plant. Nissan said the purchase was expected in mid-2026, subject to conditions including regulatory approvals.
Nissan also said the majority of associated employees would be offered employment by Chery SA on substantially similar terms and conditions. That commitment formed part of the announced agreement; the transaction remained conditional in Nissan’s statement.
