Foton: owner, models, markets and what the name means
Facts checked United States status as of 4 September 2026
- State-owned
- HKEX 1958
- SSE 600733
- SSE 600166
Foton is BAIC's commercial-vehicle company, founded on 28 August 1996 and based in Changping district, Beijing. It is the volume end of the group: light and heavy trucks, mini trucks, pickups, vans, buses and their electric versions, sold under family names rather than one badge - AUMAN and GALAXUS for medium and heavy trucks, AUMARK and MILER for light trucks, TUNLAND for pickups, TOANO and VIEW for vans, and eAUMAN and eAUMARK for the electric versions.
Its most significant partnership is with the German truck maker: in February 2012 Foton and the then Daimler AG set up Beijing Foton Daimler Automotive, a 50/50 venture for medium and heavy trucks, and Daimler's truck business is now the separately listed Daimler Truck. Foton also runs an engine joint venture with Cummins.
The company reported revenue of CNY 61.25 billion for 2025 with a net profit of CNY 1.36 billion and 22,724 employees, after a much larger CNY 100.4 billion revenue year in 2022. It sells across a wide export network - documented markets include Bangladesh, Thailand, Brazil, Colombia and Peru - though this entry lists only those it could confirm.
Beiqi Foton Motor Co., Ltd. is listed on the Shanghai Stock Exchange (600166). BAIC Group is its controlling shareholder; the size of that holding was not verified for this entry.
Key facts
| Chinese name | 福田 “foo-TYEN” 'field of blessing' - 福 'fortune, blessing' + 田 'field'; in Buddhist usage, the field in which good deeds yield merit |
|---|---|
| Also written | Beiqi Foton, BAIC Foton, 福田汽车 and Foton Motor |
| Owner | BAIC Group |
| Founded | 1996 |
| Headquarters | Beijing, China |
| Origin | China |
| Vehicles | Commercial vehicles |
| Segment | Commercial |
| United States | Never sold in the United States — Foton vehicles are not sold in the United States and the sources consulted show no plan to enter. |
| Official site | www.fotonmotor.com |
| Founded | 28 August 1996; headquartered in Changping district, Beijing |
| Results, 2025 | revenue CNY 61.25 billion, net profit CNY 1.36 billion, 22,724 employees |
| Results, 2022 | revenue CNY 100.4 billion, net income CNY 5.9 billion, about 40,000 employees |
| Truck joint venture | Beijing Foton Daimler Automotive, 50/50 with the then Daimler AG from February 2012 |
| Engine joint venture | Foton Cummins, for diesel engines |
| Product families | AUMAN and GALAXUS heavy trucks, AUMARK and MILER light trucks, TUNLAND pickups, TOANO and VIEW vans, buses, and eAUMAN and eAUMARK electric models |
Who owns Foton?
Beijing Municipal State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission owns BAIC Group at 100%.
BAIC Group is a municipal state-owned enterprise held by the Beijing city government rather than by the central SASAC. The date the present holding structure took its current form was not verified for this entry.
BAIC Group controls Foton since 1996.
BAIC Group is the controlling shareholder of Beiqi Foton Motor Co., Ltd., which is listed in Shanghai under 600166 and was founded on 28 August 1996. The exact holding was not verified for this entry.
The full ownership page for Foton · Is Foton Chinese?
Where Foton is sold
Recorded in 6 market s: CN, BD, Thailand, Brazil, CO and PE. Where a company publishes only its principal markets, that is a floor and not a complete list.
| Country | Code | Market page |
|---|---|---|
| China | CN | no page yet |
| Bangladesh | BD | no page yet |
| Thailand | TH | Chinese cars in Thailand |
| Brazil | BR | Chinese cars in Brazil |
| Colombia | CO | no page yet |
| Peru | PE | no page yet |
Foton: questions people ask
- Who owns Foton?
- BAIC Group is Foton's controlling shareholder. Foton itself is listed on the Shanghai Stock Exchange under 600166, so it also has public shareholders.
- What does Foton mean?
- The Chinese name 福田 (Fútián) means 'field of blessing', a Buddhist term for good works that yield merit. Foton is a coined English spelling of the sound.
- What does Foton make?
- Commercial vehicles: light and heavy trucks, mini trucks, pickups, vans, buses and electric versions of most of them.
- Is Foton sold in the US?
- No. Foton has no US sales operation and the sources consulted show no plan to enter.
Related
Sources for Foton
- Wikipedia, Foton Motor. Read . Founding date, headquarters, product lines, 2022 revenue and staff, Daimler and Cummins ventures, overseas markets
- Beiqi Foton Motor Co., Ltd., Foton International. Read . Official international site: product families and export activity
- StockAnalysis, Beiqi Foton Motor Co., Ltd. (SSE: 600166). Read . FY2025 revenue, net income and employee count