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Kaiyi is a Chinese automobile brand under Yibin Kaiyi Automobile Co., Ltd. The company was established on January 28, 2014, with a registered capital of 4.727 billion RMB, and is headquartered in Yibin, Sichuan. It is the first state‑owned vehicle manufacturer in Sichuan to hold production qualifications for all three passenger car categories—sedans, SUVs, and MPVs—as well as for both new energy and traditional fuel vehicles. Kaiyi is guided by the philosophy of "craftsmanship for quality" and the corporate values of "innovation, dedication, lean excellence, and harmony." Its brand vision is to "make travel more sustainable and life better." Its product lineup includes the Kunlun, Xuanjie, and Shiyue series, covering pure electric and plug‑in hybrid powertrains.
The Kaiyi logo takes the first letter "Y" as its central element, stylised into a fighter‑jet shape that symbolises the brand's ambition to spread its wings and push forward. The company has formed technical partnerships with industry leaders including Huawei, Tencent, and CATL, building a full industrial chain that spans smart cockpits and battery technology.
Chery‑Backed Startup (2014–2017)
The predecessor of Kaiyi Automobile can be traced back to the "Jiangbei Project," invested in by Lu Jianhui, one of the founders of Chery Automobile, in the Wuhu Jiangbei Industrial Park. At the end of 2013, the project was jointly launched by Anhui Jiangbei Development Co., Ltd., Chery Commercial Vehicle (Anhui) Co., Ltd., and Wuhu Construction Investment Co., Ltd. Wuhu Kaiyi Automobile Co., Ltd. was officially registered and established on January 28, 2014. In August 2014, the Kaiyi brand was officially launched. In its early days, the brand adopted a "light‑asset" business model, concentrating resources on R&D and brand marketing while outsourcing or leasing production capacity. It emphasised two core concepts: "smart connectivity" and "crowdsourced car‑building."
Relocation to Yibin (2017–2020)
In December 2017, Kaiyi completed an equity restructuring. Yibin City Automotive Industry Development Investment Co., Ltd., together with Push Group (under Wuliangye Group), acquired a 51% stake in Kaiyi, with Yibin state‑owned assets and Chery holding 49% and 51% respectively. The company subsequently relocated from Wuhu to Yibin and was renamed "Yibin Kaiyi Automobile Co., Ltd.," becoming the flagship project for the Yibin municipal government's push to build a "100‑billion‑level automotive industry." It formed a mixed ownership structure combining "Chery technology, Wuliangye capital, and local state‑owned assets." In December 2019, the first phase of Kaiyi's smart factory, with an investment of approximately 3.7 billion RMB, was completed and put into operation. In January 2020, the company obtained the dual production qualifications for passenger cars and new energy vehicles from the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, completing the final piece of its independent production capability.
Product Line and New Energy Layout (2020–Present)
In June 2020, the first strategic model after Kaiyi's relocation—the compact SUV Xuanjie—was launched, built on the Chery Tiggo 5x platform and carrying the core mission of re‑establishing the brand in the market. Since then, the product line has expanded rapidly: the Xuanjie Pro, Xuanjie Pro EV, and Xuandu were launched between 2021 and 2023. In 2022, Kaiyi signed comprehensive strategic cooperation agreements with Huawei and established a joint venture with CATL, and that year successfully opened two major overseas markets in Europe and Russia. Entering 2025 and 2026, Kaiyi continued to launch new models such as the Kunlun 2025 and Shiyue Mate, while also rolling out new energy products including the i‑EA01 and i‑EA02, covering pure electric sub‑compacts, SUVs, and sedans. Unlike most brands scaling back their fuel‑powered offerings, the 2026 Kaiyi Kunlun was updated with pure fuel versions at its core, reflecting a differentiated strategy of parallel development across both fuel and new energy powertrains.
Kaiyi Automobile has built a product portfolio that runs in parallel across fuel and new energy powertrains, covering three core categories: SUVs, sedans, and micro EVs.
Kaiyi Kunlun Series: The brand's flagship mid‑size SUV. The 2026 Kaiyi Kunlun was refreshed and launched in February 2026, available in both five‑seat and seven‑seat configurations. It measures 4,738 mm in length with a wheelbase of 2,820 mm, and is priced between 99,900 and 131,900 RMB. The current main variant is powered by a 1.5T engine paired with a 6‑speed DCT, with WLTC fuel consumption of 8.4 L/100 km. A plug‑in hybrid version, the Kunlun iHD, has also been launched to meet the varied needs of family buyers.
Kaiyi Xuanjie Series: A compact SUV line. The Xuanjie, Xuanjie Pro, and Xuanjie Pro EV were launched successively, powered by Chery's 1.5L naturally aspirated engine (85 kW, 143 N·m), paired with either a 5‑speed manual or CVT transmission. The series is positioned around a youthful, high‑value‑for‑money appeal.
Kaiyi Xuandu Series: Kaiyi's first sedan, announced for launch in October 2021. The fuel version offers a choice of 1.5T‑MT or 1.5T‑CVT powertrains; the all‑electric Xuandu EV has also been previewed.
Kaiyi Shiyue and i‑EA Platform Series: Positioned in the A00 and A0 pure electric small car segments. The Shiyue launched in November 2023, measuring 3,360×1,700×1,605 mm with a 2,160 mm wheelbase. The Shiyue Mate followed in June 2025, upgrading to a five‑door, five‑seat layout and offering 305 km and 405 km range versions, with 30%‑80% fast charging in 30 minutes. Two additional pure electric small cars—the i‑EA01 (two‑door, four‑seat) and i‑EA02 (four‑door, five‑seat)—have also been unveiled.
Kaiyi has built its technology around the "YI Concept." On the platform side, it has developed three architecture families: i‑FA for mid‑to‑large SUVs, i‑EA for A00/A0 pure electric small cars, and i‑XA for a more premium new energy platform. On the intelligence side, it has the i‑CAR smart cockpit platform—together forming a full technology loop.
For conventional powertrains, Kaiyi has relied on Chery's technology supply chain, covering both fuel and hybrid systems through a mix of adapted and self‑developed routes. In new energy, the brand has formed a deep partnership with CATL in batteries and electronic controls, including a joint venture, Yibin CATL New Energy Technology Co., Ltd. On the intelligence front, Kaiyi works with Huawei and Tencent, and has moved from smart connected cockpits to next‑gen electronic and electrical architectures. On that base, Kaiyi now has full‑capability vehicle development, smart manufacturing, and quality control—across fuel, pure electric, and plug‑in hybrid vehicles.
Kaiyi's market performance shows a clear split: weak at home, strong overseas. In 2025, the brand's cumulative sales reached about 32,000 vehicles, with a monthly peak of 3,026 in December. The mainstay Kunlun 2025 sold 4,915 units for the year and 1,271 units in the first quarter of 2026. On the new energy side, the Kunlun iHD hit a monthly high of 1,275 in November 2025, but dropped to 140 in January 2026. The micro EV Shiyue posted 362 sales in January 2026. Cumulative sales in the first quarter of 2026 came to 3,822 vehicles, a year‑on‑year decline of 19.44%.
Domestic retail has remained sluggish, but exports have become a powerful growth driver. In the first half of 2025, Kaiyi's global production and sales totalled roughly 59,900 units, of which overseas exports reached 15,500 units—a year‑on‑year surge of over 300%. To date, products have been sold to more than 50 countries and regions, with a balanced multi‑regional footprint centred on Europe, Latin America, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East. The brand has initially achieved its strategic goal of "building volume and profit internationally, while holding the line at home."
Kaiyi Automobile is pushing forward with brand transformation and upgrading along three strategic fronts. In new energy, it is using the i‑EA small EVs and the Kunlun iHD hybrid as entry points to cover the full range of mainstream use cases—from urban commuting to family SUVs. In intelligence, it is working with partners like Huawei and Tencent to co‑develop next‑gen smart connected cockpits and assisted driving systems. On the global front, Kaiyi is leveraging Yibin's strategic location in the southwest and the China‑Europe intermodal freight network to expand export volumes, with the goal of building scalable profitability in overseas markets.
As a key pillar of Sichuan Province's "100‑billion‑level automotive industry" plan, Kaiyi also plays a vital role in Yibin's lithium‑battery industrial chain. With CATL's Yibin Super Factory nearby, Kaiyi enjoys clear advantages in battery sourcing, local support, and cell development. Under its 2026 plan, Kaiyi will continue to expand its product lineup, accelerate the rollout of new energy models and i‑XA platform vehicles, and step up channel investment in emerging markets across Southern and Eastern Europe—aiming to secure a solid position in the brand consolidation and competitive landscape of the new energy vehicle sector's second half.
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