An electric MPV rolled off the assembly line of SAIC Maxus' plant in Nanjing, Jiangsu province, on Monday, marking the 1 millionth vehicle the 12-year old Chinese carmaker has produced.

The model has also made SAIC Maxus the first Chinese maker to see its overseas sales accounting for a quarter of its total deliveries.

The carmaker said its models are now available in 73 countries and regions around the world, with Europe and Australia among its major destinations.

SAIC Maxus has developed a growing lineup of vehicles ranging from pickups and SUVs to light commercial vehicles and recreational vehicles.

It has seen its production and sales grow for 11 years in a row despite ups and downs of the Chinese vehicle market.

SAIC Maxus' exports helped drive parent company SAIC Motor's overseas sales in 2022 to hit a record 1.02 million, up 45.9 percent year-on-year.

SAIC Motor expects its exports to reach 1.2 million units this year, thanks to the growing popularity of its brands including Maxus in overseas markets.