Brand Overview
SONGSAN MOTORS is a Chinese automotive manufacturer established in 1995, headquartered in Beijing. The brand focuses on the R&D and production of retro-style new energy vehicles, centering on Neoclassical design and integrating modern technology to create personalized custom models.
SongSan's predecessor was the SongSan MC American Motorcycle Club, founded by Zhang Xiaolei in 1995 at the Beijing China World Trade Center. In its early years, the club was dedicated to the R&D and manufacturing of American custom motorcycles. SongSan’s works have won championships in international competitions multiple times, and the brand is a senior member of the American International Custom Car Masters Association. In 2019, the American company AM TECH officially invested in SongSan, establishing a joint venture to produce Neoclassical automobile series products in China. This marked the brand’s official entry into the mass-production automotive sector. Through full industry chain ODM cooperation with BYD, SongSan leverages mature mass-production platforms to apply its retro designs to plug-in hybrid and pure electric vehicle models.
Development History
SongSan's development path can be summarized as a progressive evolution: from "Motorcycle Club" to "Hand-drawn Sketches and Handmade Customization," then to "Frequent Awards in US Competitions," followed by "US Capital Intervention," and finally "Chinese Complete Vehicle Mass Production."
In 1995, the SongSan MC American Motorcycle Club was established at the Beijing China World Trade Center. In 2003, founder Zhang Xiaolei began creating handmade custom motorcycles, winning awards multiple times in US competitions. In 2009, SONGSAN MOTORS cooperated with AM TECH (USA) to develop high-end custom motorcycles and classic cars. In 2012, SongSan’s custom work, "Skeleton Knight," won the Public’s Choice award at the world AMD Competition. In 2015, SongSan’s custom work, "Gray Spider," won the Grand Champion title at the American Rat’s Hole Competition. In 2016, three of SongSan’s 1808cc American motorcycles (models AB/AF/AC) entered the Chinese market and were legally registered nationwide.
In 2019, AM TECH (USA) officially invested in SongSan, establishing a joint venture to produce Neoclassical automobile series products in China. In the same year, SongSan reached a deep cooperation agreement with BYD. BYD provided complete vehicle platforms, powertrains, and manufacturing support to SongSan via an ODM model. Subsequently, SongSan successively launched multiple retro-style models developed based on BYD’s mature vehicle platforms.
Product Portfolio
Models under the SongSan brand feature their respective exclusive badges. For instance, the SS DOLPHIN features a standing Dolphin emblem on the front. Domestic versions previously displayed the BYD logo. SongSan’s product matrix includes the following main models:
SS DOLPHIN (Dolphin): The brand’s first Neoclassical hardtop convertible sedan, featuring a two-door convertible design. The reference price is 598,000 RMB. The powertrain is built on the BYD Qin Pro DM platform, equipped with a 1.5T + single motor plug-in hybrid system, meeting China National VI emission standards.
SS SUMMER (Summer): A compact MPV that recreates the classic Volkswagen T1 styling. Its two-tone body, round headlights, chrome convex wheels, and other retro elements give it extremely high visibility in the market. The vehicle’s guide price was 288,000 RMB. Modified from the BYD Song MAX DM, it adopts a 1.5T engine and plug-in hybrid system, providing a solution with no range anxiety. As of early 2026, this model has been discontinued.
SS GT: A sports car model developed based on BYD’s "2nd Gen" Han EV. It is equipped with an LFP Blade Battery Pack (approx. 100 kWh), offering a range of up to 800 km. The front and rear dual permanent magnet synchronous motors deliver 385 kW of power and 700 N·m of torque, enabling 0–100 km/h acceleration in 3.8 seconds. It was unveiled with a pre-sale reference price of 298,000 RMB. Currently, this vehicle has been discontinued.
MONTEREY: Another model currently in pre-sale status, with no specific schedule for mass production and sales announced yet.
Market Performance
SongSan positions itself in the market as a "niche boutique" rather than focusing on "sales scale." Its products are characterized by personalized customization and small-batch production. As of October 2025, there is no complete brand sales data available through public channels. The SS DOLPHIN targets the high-end classic car niche group with a pricing of 598,000 RMB. Although the exposure of the SS GT sparked market discussions on domestic sports cars, neither of the two new energy vehicles formed a record of continuous batch delivery. Overall, SongSan continues to attract personalized consumer groups interested in both retro design and new energy performance, but its presence remains relatively limited at the broader automotive market level.
Core Technology
SongSan’s core technology adopts a "Full Industry Chain ODM Cooperation" model, deeply bound with BYD (FinDreams Power).
PHEV Plug-in Hybrid Technology: Models under the brand are equipped with the PHEV plug-in hybrid system from FinDreams Power, a wholly-owned subsidiary of BYD. This system features a 1.5T 4-cylinder engine + single motor configuration, with a maximum system power of 235 kW (approx. 320 hp) and peak torque of 475 N·m, matched with a 7-speed wet dual-clutch transmission. The plug-in hybrid version of the SS SUMMER offers a longer effective range because green license plates are not affected by license plate quota policies, resolving users’ dual concerns regarding range anxiety and license plate restrictions.
Pure Electric Platform Technology: The SS GT is equipped with an LFP Blade Battery Pack, known for high energy density and long cycle life, achieving a range of 800 km.
Dual Brand Platform ODM: SongSan’s SS DOLPHIN is based on the BYD Qin Pro DM platform, the SS SUMMER is based on the Song MAX DM platform, and the SS GT is based on the 2nd Gen Han EV Pure Electric Platform. This strategy couples BYD’s mature three-electric system with SongSan’s retro design.
Overseas Layout
SongSan’s early motorcycle customization business accumulated limited reputation and contacts in the US market. Its OEM partner, AM TECH, is headquartered in the US and retains overseas cooperation support for the brand at the R&D and customization levels. After entering the automotive mass-production stage, SongSan products rely on the BYD ODM system for production. Complete vehicle products are mainly targeted at the Chinese market. There are no public records of mass production or the establishment of large-scale overseas sales channels. SongSan products in the mainstream overseas automotive consumption market are in the early exploration stage, continuing to ferment among opinion leaders in niche circles. A globalized sales system has not yet formed a scaled network.
Future Outlook
The uniqueness of SongSan’s brand positioning lies in its identity as an "Automotive Collectible," combining retro aesthetics, limited customization, and the maintainability of BYD’s mature power systems. With the SS GT and SS DOLPHIN gradually cooling down in the market, and the SS SUMMER officially discontinued, the future evolution direction of the SongSan brand depends on the community’s consistent recognition of the value of Neoclassical design and continuous trust in new energy power. It will continue to stand in the market as a highly differentiated niche automobile manufacturer. From a customer orientation perspective, the brand needs to further optimize production and delivery rhythms and evolve from a framework relying on a single partner to a more flexible, customization-premium-focused business model.
