Hangzhou Ji Yue Automobile Technology Co., Ltd., trading as Ji Yue (), is a Chinese manufacturer of intelligent

electric Electricity is the set of physical phenomena associated with the presence and motion of matter possessing an electric charge. Electricity is related to magnetism, both being part of the phenomenon of electromagnetism, as described by Maxwel ...

passenger cars based in

Shanghai Shanghai, Shanghainese: , Standard Chinese pronunciation: is a direct-administered municipality and the most populous urban area in China. The city is located on the Chinese shoreline on the southern estuary of the Yangtze River, with the ...

. It was established in 2023 as a partnership between

Geely Zhejiang Geely Holding Group Co., Ltd. (ZGH), commonly known as Geely Holding ( ; ), is a Chinese multinational automotive conglomerate headquartered in Hangzhou, China. The company was founded by, and is privately owned by Chinese entrepre ...

and

Baidu Baidu, Inc. ( ; ) is a Chinese multinational technology company specializing in Internet services and artificial intelligence. It holds a dominant position in China's search engine market (via Baidu Search), and provides a wide variety of o ...

History

In April 2021,

, a Chinese technology company, announced a partnership with

, a major automaker in China. This collaboration resulted in the formation of Jidu Auto, a joint venture headquartered in Shanghai. The venture received a $7.7 billion investment aimed at developing technologically advanced electric vehicles over the next five years, with plans to employ up to 3,000 people, including 500 software engineers. Jidu Auto's vehicles are intended to feature a robotic theme, emphasizing automation and driver-vehicle interaction. In September 2021, images of a heavily camouflaged prototype surfaced, hinting at Jidu's first production model. A pre-production prototype was presented in June 2022, followed by the official debut of the Jidu Robo-01, a large electric crossover based on a modular platform from Geely, four months later. Pre-sales for the limited-edition model began in October 2022, with mass production slated for 2023, featuring level four semi-autonomous driving. In late 2022, Jidu Auto showcased a prototype for a new model, a luxury sedan, at the Guangzhou Auto Show. In December 2022, Jidu Auto underwent changes in its shareholder structure and leadership. In the first half of 2023, Ji Yue was formed to circumvent restrictions on car manufacturing qualifications. Jidu Auto now focuses on technology solutions, including product design and AI development, for Ji Yue vehicles. The

joint venture A joint venture (JV) is a business entity created by two or more parties, generally characterized by shared ownership, shared returns and risks, and shared governance. Companies typically pursue joint ventures for one of four reasons: to acce ...

ownership shifted to 65% for Geely and 35% for Baidu. The Jidu Robo-01, renamed to

Ji Yue 01 The Ji Yue 01 (or Jidu 01) is a Battery electric vehicle, high performance mid-size crossover SUV, mid-size electric crossover SUV produced by Jidu Auto under the Ji Yue brand. History In September 2021, the newly established joint-venture c ...

, was introduced to the Chinese market. In December 2023, the company revealed the production version of the Jidu Robo-02 prototype, named Ji Yue 07, a large luxury sedan set for market release in April 2024. In December 2024, Ji Yue announced a reorganization and downsizing in order to streamline operations and seek additional funding in the face of fierce market competition.

Products

Ji Yue vehicles are manufactured and assembled at

Hangzhou Bay Hangzhou Bay is a funnel-shaped inlet of the East China Sea on the middle eastern coast of Mainland China, bordered by the province of Zhejiang to the west and south, and the municipality of Shanghai to north. The bay extends westwards to its ...

Ningbo Ningbo is a sub-provincial city in northeastern Zhejiang province, People's Republic of China. It comprises six urban districts, two satellite county-level cities, and two rural counties, including several islands in Hangzhou Bay and the Eas ...

, where Geely's headquarter and several Geely plants are located. File:Ji Yue 01 at Auto Guangzhou 2023 20231126-A.jpg,

(2023–2024), mid-size SUV, BEV File:Ji Yue 07 in Guangzhou, China 20241213.jpg, Ji Yue 07 (2024), mid-size sedan, BEV File:Jiyue Robo X 001.jpg, Ji Yue Robo X (concept), sport car, BEV

References

External links

* (in Chinese) Automotive companies established in the 21st century Car manufacturers of China {{Motorvehicle-company-stub