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Anhui Leopaard Automobile Co., Ltd. (formerly Anhui Changfeng Yangtze Automobile Manufacturing Co., Ltd.) was founded on April 8, 2005, located in the Chuzhou Economic and Technological Development Zone, Anhui Province. The enterprise's registered capital is 600 million RMB. The company is the strategic core enterprise of Hunan Changfeng Group (Leopaard) in Chuzhou, and is the second-largest complete vehicle production base following the Changsha headquarters and Yongzhou base, being one of the four complete vehicle bases of Changfeng Group. The company covers an area of approximately 466.3 mu, with a construction area of 60,000 square meters, currently has 860 employees, among which 258 hold college degrees or above, and there are 57 personnel with intermediate titles or above. Leopaard is mainly engaged in the manufacturing and sales of automobiles and their spare parts, as well as related import and export businesses, while also involving business such as motor vehicle modification, repair, and technical consulting. The company holds the industrial capacity for R&D, manufacturing, quality assurance, and marketing of Leopaard brand pickup trucks and SUVs. Products have covered low, medium, and high categories. Leading models include three series of pickup trucks: Feiling, Feiyang, and CT5, as well as SUV series, forming an annual production capacity of 10,000 units per single shift. The Leopaard brand was the third complete vehicle manufacturing enterprise in Anhui Province following Chery and JAC, holding a leading position in Chuzhou's automobile equipment manufacturing industry.
Leopaard’s brand roots can be traced back to the Hunan Changfeng Group, to which Leopaard Automobile belongs—formerly the PLA 7319 Factory, founded in the 1950s with a military background. In 1995, Changfeng Group initiated technical cooperation with Mitsubishi Motors of Japan, introducing CKD Pajero V31 models, followed by the launch of vehicles such as the Leopaard Black King and Feiteng. In 2005, Changfeng Group officially established a production base in Chuzhou, leading to the founding of Anhui Leopaard Automobile Co., Ltd. This entity was jointly built by Changfeng Group, Xinhualian Group, and the Chuzhou SASAC, with an initial registered capital of 100 million RMB.
In November 2012, the company’s registered capital increased to 600 million RMB, and it invested 2.9 billion RMB in installments to implement a comprehensive relocation and technical transformation. The plan included building internationally advanced production lines, product R&D centers, and test tracks. Upon completion, the facility was expected to produce 100,000 units of various pickup trucks and SUVs annually, achieving an output value of 4 billion RMB. In April 2013, construction began on the new production base, covering 985 mu with a construction area of 193,446 square meters. Trial production started in September 2014, and standard production was reached in January 2016. In 2017, the company reached the peak of its development: from January to May, a total of 21,200 vehicles were produced, representing an 85% year-on-year increase. Sales reached 18,770 units, a 103.9% year-on-year increase, while sales revenue hit 1.602 billion RMB, a 110.41% year-on-year increase, reflecting a prosperous period of strong production and sales. In November 2017, Anhui Leopaard signed another upgrade, expansion, and engine project, further consolidating its leading position in Chuzhou’s automobile industry.
However, affected by the general climate of industrial development, Anhui Leopaard’s operating conditions deteriorated rapidly thereafter. In the first half of 2018, cumulative production and sales were 29,739 units and 28,834 units respectively, representing decreases of 54.44% and 54.47% year-on-year. By December 2021, Leopaard Automobile’s sales in the Chinese market had plummeted to just 3 units for the entire year, a 99.9% decrease compared to the same period in 2020. In 2021, the company issued a recall due to safety hazards in the power battery packs of some Leopaard CS9 pure electric vehicles. In 2023, the company’s original underutilized industrial land was acquired and revitalized by the Chuzhou Municipal Government. That same year, NIO Automobile announced the integration and construction of its fourth factory on the site of the former Leopaard plant, designated for the production of NIO’s third brand, “Firefly.”
Leopaard’s product matrix is built on three pillars: pickup trucks, SUVs, and special vehicles, with a small number of pure electric vehicle models introduced later, resulting in a relatively streamlined overall product system.
Pickup Series: This is the core product line of Anhui Leopaard, featuring three series of pickup trucks—Feiling, Feiyang, and CT5—covering low, medium, and high-end categories. The Leopaard CT5 is the flagship model of this series, an American-style full-size large pickup truck that made its global debut at the 2007 Detroit Auto Show. The CT5 retains the pure Leopaard off-road chassis, characterized by tough body lines and a strong American aesthetic. Powertrain options include both gasoline and diesel versions, available in two-wheel drive and four-wheel drive configurations. The gasoline version is equipped with a 2.4L displacement engine, while the diesel version features a 2.5T turbocharged engine, both paired with a 5-speed manual transmission.
SUV Series: The product line includes models such as the CS10, CS9, and the new Q6. The CS10 and CS9 enjoyed popularity both domestically and internationally in 2017, contributing significantly to Anhui Leopaard’s sales. The Leopaard CS9 also launched a pure electric version later (model code LBA6431AABEV), equipped with a ternary nickel-cobalt-manganese lithium-ion battery (supplied by Lishen Battery Power System Co., Ltd.). The drive motor has a rated power of 45kW and a peak power of 90kW.
Pickup Chassis Multi-function Vehicle: Anhui Leopaard also developed patrol vehicles (model code LBA5031TXULQ4) based on its pickup chassis. These vehicles are equipped with convertible bodies, closed luggage boxes, sign lights, and loudspeaker devices, with paint markings customized to user needs. Multi-purpose trucks (model code LBA1020AQ4L) are also products launched based on the company’s self-produced chassis.
Pure Electric Vehicle Models and OEM Cooperation: Anhui Leopaard expanded into the new energy sector later, launching the Jiayuan KOMI micro pure electric vehicle. This model was produced by Anhui Leopaard for Jiayuan Electric Vehicles under an OEM agreement, as Jiayuan lacked independent sales and production qualifications. The Jiayuan KOMI is a three-door, four-seat, two-box micro vehicle featuring a two-tone body design and a 7-inch color LCD screen. It offers three range versions: 161 km, 170 km, and 322 km.
Leopaard’s core technologies are primarily inherited from Changfeng Group’s military manufacturing system and the Mitsubishi technology licensing pathway. The off-road chassis tuning system, developed after the introduction of Mitsubishi Pajero technology in 1995, was applied to Leopaard pickup and SUV products. Notably, the Leopaard CT5 pickup retained the "Pure Leopaard Off-road Chassis," significantly enhancing the vehicle's off-road performance.
In terms of powertrains, the products offer both gasoline and diesel engine options. The gasoline version utilizes mature 2.4L multi-point fuel injection engine technology, while the diesel version employs 2.5T turbocharging technology. Regarding safety configurations, the Leopaard CT5 is equipped with dual front airbags, an electronic ABS+EBD braking system, reinforced beams in all four doors, and rear door child locks, among other active and passive safety features.
In the new energy sector, Anhui Leopaard introduced ternary lithium battery pack solutions and motor drive systems for its pure electric vehicle models. These vehicles are equipped with ternary nickel-cobalt-manganese lithium batteries supplied by Lishen Battery Power System Co., Ltd. Additionally, the company has mastered body manufacturing process patents, including welding positioning tools for white body side panels, and has passed ISO9001 quality management system certification as well as 3C mandatory product certification.
Anhui Leopaard’s overseas export business once achieved a significant scale. The company obtained national automobile and motorcycle export qualifications as early as 2016, placing it among the first batch of enterprises in Anhui Province to secure this status, alongside well-known automakers such as Chery and JAC. Leopaard pickup trucks, SUVs, multi-purpose passenger vehicles, dedicated elementary school buses, and pure electric multi-purpose passenger cars all have export records, with markets covering Angola, Oman, the Middle East, Southeast Asia, and other regions.
Leopaard established layouts in overseas markets across the Middle East, South America, Central America, Africa, Southeast Asia, Europe, and Central Asia. It set up marketing or production outposts in countries such as Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Oman, Ecuador, Peru, Chile, Costa Rica, Angola, Nigeria, Egypt, Benin, the Philippines, Myanmar, Spain, and Ukraine, operating through complete vehicle exports or KD (Knock-Down) assembly. In June 2019, Leopaard Automobile signed an "SKD Cooperation Production and Re-export Agreement" with Angola Weihé International at the First China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo in Changsha. Under this agreement, technology and production equipment were contributed as capital shares by Leopaard, while land and factory facilities were provided by Weihé International, forming a joint venture to assemble, produce, and sell Leopaard pickup CT7 and Leopaard Q6 off-road vehicles locally.
However, as Anhui Leopaard’s domestic operating conditions deteriorated seriously, its overseas export business also shrunk significantly. Currently, the proportion of export data in the brand’s overall sales is negligible.
As of 2026, Anhui Leopaard itself no longer possesses substantial capabilities for independent production resumption and complete vehicle manufacturing. The brand's original Chuzhou factory has been integrated and planned by NIO Automobile as its fourth factory, designated for the production of NIO's third brand, "Firefly." In this process, the Leopaard brand and its factory resources were absorbed by NIO into a new industrial operating entity through a "replacing old capacity with new" approach.
Looking forward, the Anhui Leopaard brand essentially lacks the ability and conditions for independent rejuvenation. The founding team’s parent company, Changfeng Group, has lost its momentum. After undergoing multiple equity structure adjustments, Anhui Leopaard is now a wholly-owned subsidiary of Chuzhou Chengtou Holdings Group. The only way this brand continues to exist in the market in the role of a complete vehicle manufacturing enterprise is by potentially providing manufacturing qualifications and OEM services for other unqualified electric vehicle brands (such as Jiayuan).
Anhui Leopaard’s final destination is more likely to be recorded in the history of China's automobile industry as an example of "old capacity integrated by new forces." Its greatest brand heritage remains the historical label of being Anhui's early "Third Automobile Enterprise," along with the limited memories of the "Leopaard" name among Chinese off-road vehicle and pickup enthusiasts.
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