GWM has entered a new stage in its Australian journey, appointing Lycette Silvey as Senior Manager – National Fleet and Mobility Strategy and building a dedicated fleet team across the country.
The move comes as GWM consolidates its position as one of Australia’s top-10 automotive brands, surpassing 200,000 sales nationally and preparing to expand to 125 dealers. The company’s recent product launches, local engineering programs and network investment all point to a brand entering a phase of maturity — where fleet will play a defining role in future growth.
“There’s lots to do, and we’ve got some really big growth aspirations,” said Silvey. “It’s a very exciting time … getting the right team, and then really launching into the fleet industry.”
A Strategic Shift Toward Fleet
GWM’s fleet expansion marks a deliberate shift from its early focus on retail sales to a more balanced approach targeting corporate, government, and rental customers — sectors that represent around half of all new-vehicle registrations in Australia.
“There was a focus on retail, and now GWM needs guidance on fleet. We need to review residual [value] data. We need to get better structure, and that’s what I’m here for.”
Silvey confirmed new fleet roles in New South Wales, Western Australia/South Australia, and Queensland, reflecting the company’s national ambitions describing the hiring as part of a broader plan to strengthen engagement with corporate fleets, leasing companies, novated providers and government fleets.
Backed by Local Capability
Silvey’s arrival follows a wave of investment in GWM’s local operations. Over the past year the company has secured permanent residency at the Lang Lang Proving Ground, hired Rob Trubiani — formerly Holden’s lead dynamics engineer — to head its local tuning program, and opened a training facility in Somerton, Victoria to support technicians and dealers across Australia and New Zealand.
“We’ve got Rob Trubiani on now, who’s doing the local engineering of the cars for Australia,” said Silvey. “There’s a lot of improvement happening, and aftersales is obviously very important as well.”
These developments are already shaping GWM’s next-generation vehicles through the AT-1 local ride and handling program, designed specifically for Australian conditions.
The Lang Lang facility — once home to Holden’s proving ground — now forms the heart of GWM’s localisation strategy, enabling “dedicated ride and handling packages, full vehicle integration, and precision tuning” for models destined for Australian fleets.
“We are definitely spending money on getting the vehicles right for the fleet market and Australian conditions,” Silvey said. “We’ve got Rob on to help us with the engineering.”
At the same time, the Somerton Training Centre gives GWM’s dealer network direct access to advanced technical programs.
“There’s a workshop where we have the technology and training of the dealership service technicians,” she said. “It’s also one of our parts warehouses.”
That facility was purpose-built in 2024 to deliver interactive, hands-on training and support the brand’s growing dealer footprint.
Product Lineup Ready for Fleet
GWM’s evolving model range provides the foundation for its fleet ambitions.
“At the moment, the Jolion is our best seller and the H6 with the hybrid technology — they’re both doing very well,” Silvey said.
The brand’s Tech Day 2025 showcased plug-in hybrid technology for the Haval H6 AWD PHEV (Hi4) and Tank 500 PHEV (Hi4-T), as well as confirmation that Australia will lead the global rollout of a new 3.0-litre diesel engine for both the Cannon Alpha and Tank 500 in 2026.
Silvey added that the new luxury Wey brand — launching with a fully electric SUV — will help broaden appeal for higher-end fleet and executive customers.
“The fleet buyers can go from the hybrid technology, plug-in hybrid, and then get into the full electric … there’s also our luxury brand, Wey, that’s being released with a big SUV which is completely electric.”
Fleet Channels and Market Education
GWM’s fleet strategy spans rental, government, corporate, and novated leasing, with work already underway on tenders and FMO engagement.
“At the moment, we’re working with some of the bigger rental players,” Silvey said. “We’ve got tenders on the go, just waiting on answers to these partnerships.”
She also wants to strengthen the brand’s residual-value position with leasing providers.
“Total cost of ownership, that’s what’s letting us down in the fleet world,” she said. “It’s not that our vehicles don’t retain their value at the end of the contract; it’s that maybe the FMOs don’t know us well enough and don’t know what the vehicles are like.”
Silvey plans to use data, evaluation vehicles, and committee engagement to help build familiarity and confidence.
National Fleet Engagement
To bring the product directly to decision-makers, GWM is hosting a series of fleet ride-and-drive events, beginning in Melbourne December, followed by Sydney and Brisbane in 2026.
“We’ve just booked in Sandown for Melbourne 8th December for a fleet drive day, inviting corporate, government, FMOs and novated lease companies to attend,” Silvey said. “Then we’ll go to Sydney, Brisbane, and we’ll be at AfMA in May (2026) as well. We’re really pushing forth the fleet side of the business.”
The Next Phase of Growth
After seventeen years in Australia and consistent ranking among the nation’s top-ten car brands, GWM’s next phase is clear: sustained investment, local engineering, and serious engagement with fleet.
“We’re here to stay,” Silvey said. “Any fleets wanting to reach out, tell them we’re here and we’re building. Once we’ve got our fleet team in place, we’re certainly going to be coming out to the marketplace, showing what we can do and getting some long-term partnerships in place.”
