Web Desk: Early buyers of the GWM Tank 500 SUV in Pakistan say they are facing lengthy delivery delays months after placing their orders, prompting concerns over the order fulfillment process and potential price increases linked to pending government policy changes.
The complaints surfaced after customers who booked the vehicle following its January launch said they were still awaiting delivery, while some later bookings had reportedly already been fulfilled. The claims, shared on public online forums, could not be independently verified.
Several buyers that deliveries were not being made according to the original booking sequence.
One customer said a vehicle booked on Jan. 23 had yet to arrive despite reports that customers who placed orders later had already taken delivery.
Another buyer claimed to have reserved the plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) before official bookings opened but was still waiting, even though units were reportedly available at dealerships in Lahore.
The complaints have fueled speculation among customers about how deliveries are being prioritised.
Some buyers also said they had been asked to pay a substantial portion of the remaining vehicle price before delivery.
One Tank 500 PHEV customer said the company requested payment of approximately Rs. 20.3 million before handover, while warning that any additional taxes introduced before delivery would also have to be paid by the buyer.
The GWM Tank 500 launched in Pakistan with introductory prices of Rs. 20.5 million for the hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) variant and Rs. 22.5 million for the plug-in hybrid model.
The company initially projected a delivery period of three to four months after booking.
However, it later revised the estimated timeline to six to eight months for the PHEV and seven to nine months for the HEV, citing stronger-than-expected demand.
According to the company, the revised schedule applies to confirmed bookings made from Jan. 27 onward. Customers who placed orders before that date argue their vehicles should have been delivered under the original timeline.
Responding to the concerns, Sazgar Engineering Works Ltd., which assembles GWM vehicles in Pakistan, said the delays stem from a broader disruption affecting the country’s automotive industry.
The company said production of hybrid and plug-in hybrid models had been suspended for the past 13 days because Pakistan’s previous auto policy expired on July 1 and a replacement policy has yet to be announced.
Sazgar said uncertainty surrounding applicable tariffs has temporarily halted assembly of HEV and PHEV vehicles, although production of petrol-powered models continues.
As a result, deliveries of Tank 500 vehicles originally scheduled for July 26 are expected to be postponed by the number of days production remains suspended.
The production slowdown has also heightened concerns over the final cost of pending orders.
Pakistan is expected to unveil a new auto policy next month, which could revise taxes and import duties on hybrid and plug-in hybrid vehicles.
If those changes take effect before outstanding orders are delivered, buyers who booked months earlier could face higher final invoices despite having placed their reservations under the previous pricing structure.
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