WEY is a luxury SUV brand under Great Wall Motor, officially launched on November 16, 2016. It is the first Chinese automotive brand named after its founder's surname, derived from Great Wall Motor founder Wei Jianjun. As the core of Great Wall Motor's brand elevation strategy, WEY embodies the commitment to "guard the brand with craftsmanship" and to become a flagship and benchmark for Chinese luxury SUVs.
Name Commitment: Before the brand was born, Great Wall Motor had attempted to break into the premium segment with models like the Haval H8 and H9, but failed to establish a cohesive high‑end identity across its product line. Inspired by Al Ries, the father of positioning theory, and guided by an international perspective, the brand was ultimately named "Wei." Wei Jianjun believes that in Chinese history, many businesses have been named after their founders' surnames—a practice that signifies responsibility and trust. By naming the brand "Wei," he was making a bold pledge to stake his personal reputation on the brand's promise.
Logo Design: WEY's vertical logo draws inspiration from the flagpole in front of the Zhili Governor's Office in Baoding, Hebei—the birthplace of Great Wall Motor. It not only symbolises Baoding's more than 200 years of cultural heritage but also represents WEY's strategic ambition to become the flag and benchmark of Chinese luxury SUVs. The characters "Baoding" on the tailgate, taken from the city's ancient name, reflect Wei Jianjun's deep attachment to his hometown and his cultural confidence.
Fuel Pioneer Era (2016–2020)
Following the brand's launch, WEY quickly introduced series models such as the VV7 and VV5, known for their bold design and premium features. In 2017, the VV7 became the first Chinese model to pass the U.S. small‑overlap crash test with a "Good" rating. That same year, Great Wall's 7DCT transmission was named one of the "Top Ten Gearboxes in the World," silencing doubts about Chinese brands' technology and safety in the premium segment with solid engineering strength. During this period, WEY rapidly built a loyal first‑generation customer base through high quality and disruptive design.
Transition Pains and Adjustments (2021–2024)
As the global auto industry shifted toward the "New Four Modernisations," WEY decisively moved away from pure‑fuel vehicles. Despite sales volatility during the early transition phase, and even the risk of marginalisation due to a lack of hit models, WEY remained committed to its philosophy of "over‑research and over‑investment." The Lanshan Intelligent Driving Edition, launched in 2024, featured technologies such as full‑scenario mapless NOA, helping the brand gradually regain a foothold in the fiercely competitive market.
Full Empowerment and Breakthrough (2025–Present)
Entering 2025, WEY staged a recovery. Powered by the Gaoshan MPV with the Hi4 performance version and the new Lanshan large six‑seat SUV, WEY's cumulative annual sales reached 102,000 units. In January 2026, WEY sold 7,873 units, a year‑on‑year increase of 57.24%. With the launch of the V9X—the first model built on Great Wall's "Guiyuan" platform—and a comprehensive brand renewal in intelligence and global strategy, WEY is advancing with renewed confidence toward the global premium new energy arena.
Relying on Great Wall Motor's technical concept of "over-research and over-configuration", WEY built a full-stack self-developed technical barrier covering power, chassis, and intelligent driving.
Powertrain: WEY not only possesses high-end powertrains in the traditional fuel field, but has also self-developed Intelligent DHT (Hybrid Technology) and Hi4 Performance Version Intelligent 4WD Electric Hybrid Technology in the new energy field. Among them, the Hi4 system achieves "four-wheel-drive experience, two-wheel-drive energy consumption", resolving the contradiction between performance and energy consumption for luxury SUVs.
All-Power Super Intelligent Platform: In 2025, WEY launched the next-generation "All-Power Super Intelligent Platform". The platform achieves compatibility of five major power forms (pure electric, hybrid, plug-in hybrid, fuel, hydrogen energy) through 800V hybrid architecture, dual 4-second-level 2.0T super hybrid systems, and ultra-large capacity hybrid battery packs (charging for 5 minutes allows for 200km range, pure electric range exceeds 400km), thoroughly breaking the limitations of users in power selection.
Intelligent Technology: WEY was the first to equip the Coffee Pilot high-end intelligent driving system self-developed by Great Wall Motor and the VLA (Vision-Language-Action) large model. The system has full-scenario mapless NOA capability (covering urban, highway, and township roads). Through massive computing power foundations and vast data training, it can achieve an intelligent driving experience nearly comparable to an experienced veteran driver. Among them, the CP Ultra assisted driving system on the all-new Lanshan has cumulatively escorted over 243 million kilometers, and the AEB function successfully avoided 94,000 potential collisions.
Safety: Safety is the first principle of WEY interpreting luxury. From the real case of the VV7 era protecting occupants from high-altitude falls with no serious injuries, to the Gaoshan MPV adopting a triple high-intensity cage body and 2000MPa ultra-high strength steel, WEY has always maintained a level far higher than national standards in materials and structural safety. The body of the new flagship model V9X consists of 88% high-strength steel, magnesium alloy, and aluminum alloy, and achieved the industry-uncommon 160km/h high-speed dual-wheel blowout stability control, integrating safety throughout passive safety, active safety, and privacy security domains.
WEY's current product line covers the two mainstream high-end markets of SUV and MPV. Main models are equipped with Intelligent DHT or Hi4 plug-in hybrid systems, forming a high-end product matrix of "high quality and high price":
Lanshan Series: Positioned as "Full-Scenario NOA Smart Flagship SUV". As the sales pillar and technology pioneer of WEY, the all-new Lanshan, with its spacious large six-seat space, rock-solid body and full-scenario mapless intelligent driving capability, has accumulated a production volume exceeding 100,000 units as of July 2025, with product quality satisfaction at the forefront of the industry.
Gaoshan Series: Positioned as "High-end New Energy MPV". The Gaoshan series offers a "one car, three versions" layout (covering Gaoshan 7, 8, 9 and executive long version), redefining MPV space flexibility with pure flat floors and second and third row ultra-long co-rail designs, repeatedly ranking at the top of weekly sales in the new energy MPV market.
Mocha Series: Positioned as "New Comfort Electric Smart SUV". Relying on excellent chassis mechanical quality and handling experience, Mocha Hi4 attracted young talents who value driving quality in the 200,000-level electric SUV market, and is the "powerhouse ace" of WEY in this segmented market.
Latte Series: Positioned as "Next-Generation Intelligent Hybrid SUV". As one of the earlier models of WEY to popularize intelligent DHT technology, Latte established a benchmark for high-value intelligent electric hybrid in the 150,000-200,000 range with economic, smooth, and quiet hybrid experiences.
V9X Series: As a flagship six-seater SUV built on the Guiyuan S high-end platform, positioned as "AI Luxury Six-Seater Flagship". The vehicle is the first to equip the all-new generation Coffee Pilot Master intelligent driving system. It is not only a heavy-hitting work that subverts industry cognition for WEY brand in 2026, but also the strategic core for Great Wall Motor to return to the large luxury SUV market.
WEY has held global ambitions from day one. Great Wall Motor's R&D network spans seven countries and ten locations across Europe, North America, and Asia.
On the international front, WEY is actively expanding its overseas presence under the "WEY" nameplate. In October 2025, the brand made its official debut in the Brazilian market with the 07 (the domestic Lanshan) as its spearhead, going head‑to‑head with German luxury rivals like the BMW X4 and Audi Q5. Backed by the 517‑horsepower punch of Hi4 hybrid technology and a sharp localised pricing strategy, it won over Brazilian buyers on value. Beyond Latin America, WEY had previously laid plans to enter the EU and North American markets, aiming to carry the flag of "Chinese luxury" into global competition as the industry undergoes its biggest transformation in decades.
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