'%3e%3cclipPath%20id='prefix__a'%3e%3cpath%20d='M0%200h1080v1080H0z'/%3e%3c/clipPath%3e%3cg%20clip-path='url(%23prefix__a)'%3e%3cpath%20d='M1033.05%20324.45c-.19-137.9-107.59-250.92-233.6-291.7-156.48-50.64-362.86-43.3-512.28%2027.2-181.1%2085.46-237.99%20272.66-240.11%20459.36-1.74%20153.5%2013.58%20557.79%20241.62%20560.67%20169.44%202.15%20194.67-216.18%20273.07-321.33%2055.78-74.81%20127.6-95.94%20216.01-117.82%20151.95-37.61%20255.51-157.53%20255.29-316.38z'%20fill-rule='nonzero'/%3e%3c/g%3e%3c/g%3e%3c/svg%3e)
Jiuzhou Automobile
Tech Overlord Starts from New Energy Vehicles
Biodata
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Name | Jiuzhou Automobile (九州汽车) |
| Alias(es) | Jiuzhou Automobile Factory; Jiuzhou Automobile Company |
| Affiliation | Jiuzhou Technology Group 205 266 |
| Occupation/Role | Mid-to-high-end electric-vehicle manufacturer; formerly a low-speed electric-vehicle producer 183 197 |
| Chairman | Xu Yifan 72 208 |
| Status | Active |
| First Appearance | 5 |
Background / History
Before Xu Yifan assumed control, Jiuzhou Automobile Factory underwent two bankruptcies and reorganizations. His takeover of the failing factory marked its turnaround; within ten months, its workforce grew from a few dozen people to more than 2,000, while the Jiuzhou Mini sold 10,000 units in half a year. 72
The company initially concentrated on low-speed electric vehicles aimed largely at elderly consumers. Rather than merely selling transportation, its stores offered driving practice, safety education, and social activities, seeking to redefine the derogatory “Old Man Happy” label through service and safety. 62 91
Jiuzhou expanded from direct sales into provincial-agent distribution as demand outgrew its original retail model. It acquired and contracted production capacity across the country, becoming the leading producer in the domestic low-speed electric-vehicle market. 89 96 103
Its transition into high-end electric cars began with the Dongting sedan and Taishan SUV. Initial public reception was poor: visitors to the Chengdu Auto Expo dismissed the company as a manufacturer of low-speed vehicles and ridiculed its luxury pricing despite the cars’ design and performance. 120 121 123
Track demonstrations, taxi deployments, battery-swapping infrastructure, and consumer word of mouth gradually changed this perception. Jiuzhou later became a supplier of electric powertrains to domestic automakers and launched a broad range of vehicles under its own brand and sub-brands. 179 183 195 204
Development Timeline
| Period | Development | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Initial recovery | Launched the Jiuzhou Mini and grew from a failing factory with dozens of workers to more than 2,000 employees. | 72 |
| Low-speed expansion | Reached over one million units of annual production capacity after acquiring multiple manufacturing bases. | 96 |
| High-end entry | Unveiled the Dongting luxury sedan and Taishan luxury SUV, moving beyond low-speed vehicles. | 117 118 |
| Performance recognition | Developed the Vermilion Bird electric supercar and demonstrated it internationally at the Nürburgring. | 132 141 144 |
| Industry supplier | Spun off Jiuzhou Technology to manufacture motors, controllers, and other core components for external automakers. | 183 188 190 |
| Brand restructuring | Established Huaxia Automobile for affordable passenger vehicles and Five Star Automobile for commercial vehicles. | 184 197 |
| Mass-market breakthrough | Recorded more than 10,000 vehicle orders in one day following its livestreamed product launch. | 200 |
| Solar-vehicle expansion | Introduced vehicles equipped with Ningguang Solar Panels, accelerating the decline of fuel-vehicle sales in Huaxia. | 263 267 |
| Global cooperation | Reached component-supply agreements with companies including Ford, General Motors, and Peugeot. | 274 |
Products
| Product line | Models / details |
|---|---|
| Low-speed electric vehicles | The Jiuzhou Mini was the company’s breakout model. Its initial configurations used lead-acid batteries and a 4 kW permanent-magnet synchronous motor, with ranges from roughly 80 to 200 km and a top speed of 45 km/h. 8 |
| Expanded low-speed range | Type One was a sedan-like city vehicle; Type Two used reinforced chassis components and AT tires for outdoor use. Type Three and Type Four further diversified the lineup. 94 |
| Luxury electric cars | The Dongting is a B-class luxury sedan; the Taishan is a large luxury SUV. Both were Jiuzhou’s first full-sized electric cars. 117 118 |
| Performance vehicles | The Vermilion Bird is an electric supercar powered by a specially tuned 10,000 RPM Vermilion Bird motor and equipped with advanced systems including a smart cockpit, Ether Bus technology, LiDAR, and a silicon-carbide high-voltage system. 132 |
| Xihu | A lighter, lower-cost electric model with a 600 km range; unlike earlier Jiuzhou cars, it does not use bulletproof-grade body steel. 172 |
| Expanded passenger range | Later launches included updated Dongting and Taishan models, the Vermilion Bird, Xihu, and six additional Jiuzhou models across sedan, SUV, MPV, hybrid, and performance segments. 195 197 |
| Solar vehicles | Models equipped with Ningguang Solar Panels can use sunlight for energy, reducing dependence on refueling and battery-swapping stations. 263 267 |
Technology & Manufacturing
Three-Electric System
Jiuzhou developed and manufactured its own motors, controllers, and battery packs when the domestic supply chain could not support its high-end electric vehicles at scale. The self-production rate of components for several Jiuzhou models reached 80%. 123 173
- Vermilion Bird motor system — High-performance motor system used in Jiuzhou’s premium and performance models. 183 190
- Golden Crow motor system — More affordable electric powertrain supplied to outside automakers; a single motor produces 168 kW, 271 Nm of torque, and 249 horsepower. 188
- Warranty — Golden Crow motors carry a ten-year or 500,000 km warranty. 189
- Dual-motor performance — Dual Golden Crow configurations can reach 0–100 km/h in under eight seconds. 190
Batteries and Energy Services
Jiuzhou progressed from lead-acid batteries to lithium iron phosphate and sodium-ion battery technology. Its Hengxin batteries were developed for high cycle life, safety, and use in vehicles and battery-swapping networks. 8 97 217
- Lithium iron phosphate battery — Reached an energy density of 150 Wh/kg and a cycle life exceeding 4,500 cycles after optimization. 97
- Battery swapping — Oriental Power Company constructed battery-swapping stations and supporting battery-storage systems, helping address charging concerns. 173 179
- Sodium-ion battery — Developed to reduce dependence on lithium resources amid international pressure on lithium prices. 216 217
- Ningguang Solar Panel — Enables solar-powered vehicle operation and became a key technology in Jiuzhou’s challenge to fuel vehicles. 263 272 |
Vehicle Engineering
- Intelligent electric control — Optimizes power conversion between motor and battery for responsiveness and efficiency. 97
- Variable-suspension electric chassis — Listed among Jiuzhou’s proprietary vehicle technologies. 205
- Smart cockpit and cloud services — Used across later Jiuzhou models as part of their intelligent-vehicle systems. 132 205
- High-strength materials — Jiuzhou invested in body materials, precision manufacturing, and component durability alongside visible vehicle technologies. 117 202
Sales & Operations
| Milestone | Result |
|---|---|
| First three days of direct-store sales | More than 4,000 Jiuzhou Minis sold through twelve stores, generating 144 million yuan in revenue. 66 |
| Early low-speed expansion | Annual production capacity exceeded 300,000 vehicles through the Jiangzhou factory and two contract manufacturers. 72 |
| National low-speed leadership | Total annual production capacity exceeded one million units. 96 |
| High-end vehicle sales | Nearly 3,000 Jiuzhou electric cars generated roughly 800 million yuan in revenue. 173 |
| Livestream launch | More than 7,000 online orders and over 10,000 total single-day orders generated more than 2 billion yuan in sales. 200 |
| First month after major launch | Jiuzhou Automobile, Huaxia Automobile, and Five Star Automobile combined for 100,000 vehicle sales. 204 |
| Workforce growth | The company expanded to 66,329 employees. 205 |
| Demand surge | Jiuzhou and Huaxia vehicles sold out nationwide within hours after the solar-car launch. 266 |
Corporate Structure
- Jiuzhou Automobile — The group’s mid-to-high-end electric-vehicle brand, using super-factory production lines and separate branding from its former low-speed vehicles. 183 197
- Jiuzhou Technology Company — Produces Vermilion Bird and Golden Crow motors, controllers, and other core technologies; also sells components to outside manufacturers. President: Ye Zhiyong. 183 185
- Jiuzhou Low-Speed Electric Vehicle Company — Took over the former low-speed electric-vehicle business. President: Ji Shenghai; Vice President: Cui Wuyuan. 183
- Huaxia Automobile — Affordable passenger-car sub-brand positioned below Jiuzhou Automobile. 184 197
- Five Star Automobile — Commercial-vehicle brand focused on durable, cost-efficient electric vehicles. 184 197
- Jiuyuan Electric Vehicle — Two-wheeled electric-vehicle business and a major early revenue pillar alongside the Jiuzhou Mini. 75
- Hengxin Battery Company — Battery producer supplying Jiuzhou’s vehicles, Oriental Power, and external partners. 173 185
- Oriental Power Company — Government-supported energy-services company responsible for charging and battery-swapping infrastructure. 173 179