Chery Automobile’s Executive Vice President, Qi Shilong, has addressed the growing independence of Luxeed (智界), the premium EV brand co-developed with Huawei. In a recent quarterly media exchange meeting, Qi emphasized the brand’s aspiration to emulate the agility and innovation of newer market entrants rather than becoming a larger version of a traditional automaker.
Luxeed Secures Independent Production Qualification
Earlier in October, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) included Anhui Luxeed New Energy Automobile Co., Ltd. on its list of ‘newly approved vehicle manufacturers.’ This move signifies Luxeed’s impending qualification for independent vehicle production.
Qi Shilong stated that Luxeed aims to foster a team that operates more like a startup, focusing on rapid development and customer-centric innovation. This strategic direction is underpinned by plans to enhance Luxeed’s independent operational capabilities through organizational scaling, product premiumization, and gradual brand optimization.
Looking ahead, Luxeed is slated to introduce new products next year. Meanwhile, Chery Group will continue to manage overseas operations independently.
Strategic Asset Transfer
Further insights from the MIIT’s announcement reveal a strategic internal transfer. Chery Automobile Company Ltd. has applied to cancel the production address at No. 8 Wangjiang Avenue, Wuhu Economic Development Zone, Anhui Province. Coincidentally, this is the exact facility where Luxeed’s new production qualification is registered.
This indicates that Luxeed’s production capacity and manufacturing entity status are not entirely new but rather a transfer of existing Chery factory resources and approvals to the Luxeed brand. This move allows Luxeed to establish its own production footprint under its dedicated corporate entity.
Market Performance and Future Outlook
While specific sales figures were not detailed in Qi’s statement, publicly available data from late 2023 and early 2024 present a mixed picture for Luxeed. Projections for the full year 2025 indicated a target of 90,500 units, representing a significant 56% year-over-year increase. However, the initial months of 2026 (January-May) showed a cumulative sales volume of 13,800 units, a 67.5% decrease compared to the previous year. This figure represents only 4.6% of the ambitious annual target of 300,000 to 350,000 units.
The data also highlights a continuous downward trend in monthly sales since December 2025, with February 2026 recording a particularly sharp decline of 90.6% year-over-year, selling just 945 units. This sales performance context underscores the importance of Luxeed’s drive for independent operations and product innovation to regain market momentum.
Chery’s strategic move to grant Luxeed independent manufacturing qualifications, coupled with the brand’s stated ambition to innovate like a ‘new force’ in the EV market, signals a concerted effort to revitalize its growth trajectory and solidify its position in the competitive electric vehicle landscape.
