Search History
Popular Searches
English
Dealer Login / Sign Up
Jinbei Auto is a well‑known commercial vehicle brand in China, founded in 1989 by Shenyang Brilliance Jinbei Automobile Co., Ltd. and headquartered in Shenyang, Liaoning Province. Jinbei is the core commercial vehicle brand of the Brilliance Auto Group and the only light van brand in China that currently uses Toyota technology, tooling, and management methods. It is also the sole Chinese commercial vehicle brand that has grown through a path of "introducing technology, digesting it, absorbing it, and re‑innovating."
In 2017, Brilliance Jinbei formed a joint venture with France's Renault Group—Brilliance Renault Jinbei Automobile Co., Ltd.—with Brilliance holding 51% and Renault 49%. In 2021, the company entered bankruptcy reorganisation proceedings due to operational difficulties. In 2024, it completed equity restructuring and was renamed Jinbei (Shenyang) Automobile Co., Ltd., with Shenyang Xingyuan Dong Auto Parts Co., Ltd. becoming the largest shareholder. In 2025, the Jinbei brand announced a comprehensive strategic renewal, unveiling a multi‑energy parallel strategy covering fuel, pure electric, methanol, CNG, and hybrid powertrains, with a global target of "200,000 overseas sales within five years."
Guided by the core spirit of "quality builds Jinbei," the brand has held the top spot in China's domestic light van market for 19 consecutive years. After a period of silence due to market and capital shifts, it is now returning to the spotlight with a full‑scale renewal.
The development of the Jinbei brand is a classic microcosm of China's commercial vehicle industry—from technology introduction and absorption to joint venture expansion, and from peak performance to bankruptcy and rebirth.
Predecessor and Early Years (1949–1990). Jinbei's manufacturing roots can be traced back to the State‑owned Northeast Highway Bureau Automobile Repair and Manufacturing Factory, founded in 1949 in Shenyang—the predecessor of Brilliance Auto—which initially focused on truck repairs. In 1984, the Shenyang Automobile Industry Corporation was established, and the true Jinbei Automobile Company was founded in 1987, with its early products opening the market through light buses. In 1989, the Jinbei brand was officially born and quickly established a strategy built around the light van segment.
Toyota Technology Introduction and Rapid Growth (1991–2000). In July 1991, Shenyang Jinbei Bus Manufacturing Co., Ltd. was established as a joint venture between Brilliance China and Shenyang Jinbei Automobile Co., Ltd., with registered capital of approximately 1.796 billion USD, and led the introduction of Toyota's production methods and management systems. In 1995, the company passed ISO9000 quality system certification. From 1997 to 2000, production and sales of the Jinbei Haishi grew strongly, quickly dominating the national light van market.
Joint Venture Expansion and Peak Years (2001–2016). In December 2001, Brilliance Jinbei signed a technology licensing agreement with Toyota, securing exclusive manufacturing rights for the Toyota Granvia. Jinbei was the domestic light van sales champion for 19 consecutive years. In many cities, "Jinbei" was not only the go‑to vehicle for haulage platforms like Huolala, but also synonymous with the first MPV in many households.
Joint Venture Failure and Bankruptcy Restructuring (2017–2024). In 2017, Brilliance Jinbei brought in global automotive leader Renault Group, forming Brilliance Renault Jinbei Automobile Co., Ltd., with Brilliance holding 51% and Renault 49%. However, Renault gradually withdrew from the Chinese market after 2020, while Brilliance Group fell into bankruptcy reorganisation that same year. On December 30, 2021, Brilliance Renault Jinbei applied for reorganisation with the Shenyang Intermediate People's Court. The brand then went through nearly three years of complete silence—social media accounts stopped updating after June 2021, and domestic sales fell out of the industry's top ten.
Equity Restructuring and Full‑Scale Recovery (2024–Present). In May 2024, Brilliance Renault Jinbei completed its equity restructuring, with Shenyang Xingyuan Dong Auto Parts Co., Ltd. becoming the largest shareholder with a 44.61% stake. The company was officially renamed Jinbei (Shenyang) Automobile Co., Ltd. in September 2024. At the start of 2025, the brand's official account—renamed "Shenyang Jinbei" for the first time in four years—resumed updates. On October 28, 2025, Jinbei held the "Casting Jinbei, New Journey" Brand Day and Full Series Product Launch, releasing five models spanning fuel to pure electric, announcing a full‑scale return to the mainstream market. Meanwhile, a strategic partnership between Jinbei and Geely Farizon is also progressing, with both parties establishing a joint venture focused on commercial vehicle sales.
Jinbei has built a diversified product portfolio centred on light vans, commercial vehicles, and logistics vehicles, guided by a multi‑energy parallel strategy covering fuel, pure electric, methanol, CNG, and hybrid powertrains, while also expanding into VAN and truck segments. Its core product families include the Haishi Series, New Express Series, Big Haishi Series, and New Energy Series.
Haishi Series is Jinbei's signature product line. The 2026 Jinbei Haise King is positioned as a "comfortable all‑round business cabin," continuing the classic Grandia design. Available in standard‑roof and high‑roof versions, the high‑roof variant offers an interior height of 1,620 mm and up to 7.5 m³ of cargo space, with flexible 6‑ to 10‑seat configurations. It is powered by a 1TZS engine derived from Toyota technology (100 kW, 185 N·m), priced from 85,900 to 117,900 RMB. The Jinbei Big Haishi 2026 is a high‑end wide‑body light van starting at 145,800 RMB. Within the Xinyuan Jinbei system, additional models include the Small Haishi X30, New Haishi X30L, and the Jinbei T‑Series micro trucks, covering a broader commercial vehicle user base.
New Express Series is positioned as a "professional multi‑functional wealth‑creation partner." Starting from 2026 at just 76,900 RMB, it measures 5,235×1,800×1,980 mm with a 3,430 mm wheelbase and up to 6.8 m³ of cargo space. It features a flexible 6‑seat layout with rear two rows folding sidewards, front double‑wishbone independent suspension, and a five‑leaf‑spring rear suspension for strong load‑bearing capacity. The New Express targets the urban distribution and cargo transport market with a high‑value‑for‑money proposition.
New Energy Series is a key strategic direction for Jinbei. The Jinbei Haise King EV is offered in standard‑ and high‑roof versions, pairing CATL or EVE Energy high‑density battery packs with a Pierburg 100 kW high‑power motor (300 N·m), delivering a CLTC range of up to 330 km and priced from 118,800 to 151,800 RMB. The Jinbei Haishi EV adopts a classic bus form and focuses on green urban delivery, offering a unique 2‑seat layout with up to 8.1 m³ of rear cargo space and a CLTC range of 300 km.
The Jinbei brand's market sales in recent years have shown a significant recovery trend taking the 2025 strategic renewal as a node. In 2023 and earlier periods due to the serious impact of reorganization, its cumulative sales in the light van market dropped out of the industry top ten.In 2024, after reorganization was completed and with new products gradually listed, the market warming trend was obvious: the wholesale volume in the whole year of 2024 always fluctuated in the range of 2,000—5,000 units.
Entering 2025, Jinbei sales overall surged significantly. The monthly wholesale volume in the whole year of 2025 grew from less than 3,500 units at the beginning of the year to nearly 4,000 units at the end of the year; the wholesale volume in December 2025 reached 3,938 vehicles (retail 2,073 vehicles), almost doubling compared to the first half.In the first three months of 2026, Jinbei brand wholesale volume remained between 827—2,914 units, overall stable with a rising trend.In terms of domestic channels, Jinbei has developed over 80 dealers, expected to reach 100 by the end of the year, secondary network 150, after-sales service stations reaching 150.At the parent company level, Jinbei Automobile Co., Ltd. (600609) achieved a net profit of about 77 million RMB in the first quarter of 2025, a year-on-year increase of 3.56%.
The technology system of Jinbei brand has formed an endogenous cycle of "Introduction - Digestion - Re-innovation" in the accumulation of many years, and is going all out in the direction of new energy and intelligence.
Toyota Technology Core and Multi-energy Power. Jinbei's core technology pillar comes from Toyota, its mainstream fuel vehicles equipped with 1TZS engine developed based on Toyota technology route, featuring low RPM high torque and excellent fuel economy; the technology platform sourced from Toyota Grandia has been applied to core models such as Haishi Series.In terms of new energy and clean energy, Jinbei is accelerating the exploration of diversified energy routes, adhering to the all-around technology layout of "Fuel + Pure Electric + Methanol + CNG + Hybrid".In January 2026, a commercial vehicle company under Geely and Shenyang Jinbei jointly invested 500 million RMB to establish Shenyang Alcohol-Hydrogen Ecology Technology Co., Ltd., specializing in methanol fuel technology and exploring methanol hybrid paths.
Intelligent Driving and Intelligent Manufacturing. Jinbei has realized multi-scenario application of Level 2 assist driving on mass-produced models, and carried out Level 3+ technology verification under specific conditions, while actively laying out Level 4 autonomous driving technology.The brand takes the New Commercial 4.0 Quality Smart Factory as the carrier, fully promotes the construction of intelligent manufacturing system, merges the three original production lines of manufacturing, body, and assembly, comprehensively improves flexible and automated production, and maximizes the guarantee of annual consistency and high-level output of intelligent manufacturing of products.
Three-Electric Systems and Chassis Technology. Pure electric models (Haise King EV/Haishi EV) share mature and reliable three-electric systems: CATL or EVE Energy high-density battery packs, matched with Pierburg 100kW high-power motor (peak torque 300N·m) and Inovance four-in-one electric control system.Regarding chassis, Haishi Series adopts high-strength cage body structure and independent suspension, combined with lane departure warning, automatic emergency braking, electronic stability control and other multiple safety configurations.
After a brief period of silence during its restructuring, Jinbei quickly regained momentum in its global expansion, with products now sold in over 80 countries and regions and cumulative exports exceeding 90,000 units. Total overseas orders in 2025 surpassed 300 million RMB, supporting the brand's target of "200,000 overseas exports within five years." Jinbei has deepened its presence in Southeast Asia, Central Asia, Africa, and the Middle East through localised production and differentiated product development, building a global sales network with a multi‑regional footprint.
In Southeast Asia, Jinbei signed a Big Haishi order worth over 300 million RMB with a Vietnamese partner in May 2025 and launched a local assembly project. The first test units from the Vietnam plant are due to roll off the line soon, with an annual capacity of 5,000 units planned to serve the broader ASEAN market. In Africa, Jinbei secured a 4,500‑unit light van intent order across Tanzania and Zambia; its Egypt CKD project is also progressing, with plans to reach 80% local parts procurement and create over 300 jobs. In the Middle East and South America, Jinbei is working with Saudi dealers on vehicle exports, offering heat‑resistant models for hot climates; it also signed a 50‑unit order in Bolivia and is exploring local production partnerships in Brazil and Argentina. In Central Asia, Jinbei won a government passenger bus procurement in Turkmenistan and completed delivery in Q2 2025. Additionally, Jinbei has signed a 200 million RMB strategic order with Toyota Tsusho, expanding its channel and sales network in Saudi Arabia and beyond. The brand plans to add five overseas production bases across Asia, Africa, and South America, aiming to raise its overseas production capacity share to 30% in 2026.
Jinbei has laid out a clear strategic framework driven by a dual‑circulation model, balancing both domestic and international markets. On the product front, the brand will strengthen its traditional commercial vehicle foundation while accelerating expansion into the VAN and truck segments, addressing challenges such as heavy‑load refuelling and long‑distance range through methanol hybrid technology development. In terms of electrification, Jinbei will continue to refine its new energy product matrix, maintaining a dual‑track approach of fuel and pure electric, while actively exploring forward‑looking applications of methanol, hybrid, and CNG powertrains.
On the manufacturing side, Jinbei will leverage its new Commercial 4.0 Quality Smart Factory as a platform to continuously raise its level of intelligent production. In the domestic market, the brand will reshape the car‑buying experience and service ecosystem, while accelerating channel penetration in lower‑tier cities. Overseas, building on the momentum of 2025, Jinbei will promote a full‑scale export transformation covering products, technology, and the industrial chain.
In terms of overall goals, Jinbei has set an ambitious target of "200,000 overseas sales within five years," aiming to move from "product exports" to "brand exports" and bring Jinbei vehicles to the world. Guided by the core principle of "quality builds Jinbei," the brand is committed to returning to the mainstream commercial vehicle table in China through high manufacturing standards, full‑domain energy compatibility, and global operational capability.
© 2024 Bitauto.com. All Rights Reserved.
Bitauto (www.yiche.com and www.bitauto.com) is one of the most visited automotive websites in China. We provide detailed info on Chinese car brands available in your area. Please note that the information provided on this website is based on publicly available data and is for reference only. It may not be fully updated or accurate at all times.
