Produced by Leadar Finance. Text by Ding Yu. Edited by Meng Shuai.

Skyworth Automobile, the brainchild of Skyworth Group founder Huang Hongsheng, has temporarily suspended its operations in the UK market.

Recent reports reveal that Skywell, a subsidiary of Skyworth Automobile, has halted sales in the UK, with its importer, Innovation Automotive, ceasing operations. All 16 Skywell dealers across England and Wales have been notified of these closures.

Data indicates that Skyworth Automobile entered the UK market in December 2024, but only 127 Skywell vehicles have been registered in the UK to date. Over half of these were purchased and registered as inventory by the importer shortly before the closure, rather than being sold to end consumers.

Huang Hongsheng had ambitious plans for Skyworth Automobile, aiming to propel it into the top tier of the global electric vehicle sector within a decade and targeting annual sales of one million vehicles by 2030.

In March of this year, Huang also expressed optimism about overseas markets, "hoping (Skyworth Automobile) can emulate Transsion’s success in the auto industry."

However, Skyworth Automobile’s setback in the UK is mirrored by its lackluster performance in the domestic market, with cumulative sales of just 387 vehicles in the first half of 2026 and only 56 vehicles sold in June.

UK Importer Ceases Operations, Skyworth Automobile's Overseas Expansion Stumbles

According to a report by Electrive, a European new energy vehicle media outlet, Skyworth Automobile's UK operations have been halted primarily due to the cessation of its importer, Innovation Automotive, in June.

In 2024, Innovation Automotive introduced Skyworth Automobile's Skywell brand to the UK market, but only one SUV model, the Skywell BE11, was brought in.

The BE11 reportedly retails for approximately £32,000 (around RMB 290,000), with only six units registered in the UK in 2024.

Registration data from the former importer indicates that 127 Skywell vehicles are currently registered in the UK, with 64 registered during the final operational period in June. Prior to the sales suspension, Skywell had 16 partner dealers in the UK.

Innovation Automotive also stated that it had purchased and registered all remaining vehicle inventory before closing.

In a media interview, David Clark, the general manager of Innovation Automotive, attributed the decision to cease operations to the significant capital investment required to remain competitive in the UK market.

David Clark stated bluntly, "The UK is one of Europe's most competitive new car markets, with a strong focus on electrification. With numerous new Chinese brands entering the UK market, vehicle manufacturers or designated distributors need to make substantial and ongoing investments to stay competitive."

He also emphasized that the company's closure was unrelated to the vehicle manufacturer itself, "The closure of Innovation Automotive does not reflect any issues with Skywell itself. Skywell is currently seeking a new distributor for the UK market."

European media also claimed that Skywell had plans to introduce more electric vehicle models beyond the BE11 in the UK market. These expansion plans are now on hold until a new import distributor is secured.

In addition to poor sales, Skyworth Automobile faces another challenge in the UK. According to previous reports by local UK media, only one of the top ten insurance companies in the UK is willing to insure the Skywell BE11 due to concerns about its repairability and future value.

Former Color TV King Ventures into Automaking, Domestic Sales Continue to Decline

Huang Hongsheng, the founder of Skyworth Group, is known as the "Color TV King." In his autobiography, Huang once wrote, "Building new energy vehicles is the second mountain I must climb in my life."

According to Tianyancha, Skywell New Energy Automobile Group Co., Ltd., the main company behind Skywell Automobile, was founded by Huang Hongsheng in Nanjing in 2010.

In 2011, Skywell acquired and restructured Nanjing Golden Dragon Bus Manufacturing Co., Ltd., obtaining China's new energy vehicle production qualification the following year.

After acquiring Nanjing Golden Dragon, Skywell shifted its focus from traditional midibuses to commercial new energy buses.

In 2014, Nanjing Golden Dragon sold 1,890 pure electric buses, ranking second nationwide. In 2015, sales of Nanjing Golden Dragon's pure electric buses reached 8,796 units, again securing the second-place position nationwide.

In 2017, Skywell Automobile obtained passenger vehicle market access qualification approved by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology. Subsequently, Skywell launched the Skywell brand, initiating a strategic layout of "commercial and passenger vehicles side by side."

In March 2021, Skywell Automobile signed a trademark transfer agreement with Skyworth Group, acquiring the right to use the Skyworth brand for RMB 28 million. In April of the same year, Huang Hongsheng announced that Skywell Motor would be renamed Skyworth Automobile.

Although both were founded by Huang Hongsheng, Skyworth Automobile is not affiliated with Skyworth Group. A Skywell public relations representative explained to the media, "Skyworth Automobile is not manufactured by Skyworth Group; it merely uses the brand name. The vehicles are manufactured by Skywell Group."

Shenzhen Skyworth Automobile Intelligence Co., Ltd., under Skyworth Group, is a subsidiary of Shenzhen Skyworth Digital and primarily provides businesses such as in-vehicle human-machine interaction display systems, in-vehicle intelligent instrument systems, and intelligent transportation assistance systems.

Regarding Skyworth Automobile, Huang Hongsheng made a bold statement in 2021: "Skyworth Automobile will strive to enter the top tier of the global electric vehicle sector within a decade, list on the Science and Technology Innovation Board next year, and target a market value of RMB 300 billion."

Huang also had high expectations for Skyworth Automobile's market performance, stating, "By 2025, Skyworth Automobile's annual sales will reach 250,000 units, and by 2030, 500,000 units." Later, he further raised the target to one million units annually by 2030.

While the goals were ambitious, the reality was harsh. In terms of actual sales performance, Skyworth Automobile achieved significant growth in 2022, delivering approximately 21,900 units, a year-on-year increase of 255.72%. However, sales gradually declined in subsequent years.

Data from the China Passenger Car Association shows that in 2023, Skyworth Automobile sold a total of 18,600 units domestically. According to Yiche.com, domestic sales fell to 11,800 units in 2024.

By 2025, Skyworth Automobile's sales further declined, with 2,176 units of the Skyworth EV6 and 1,587 units of the Skyworth HT-i sold, totaling 3,763 units. Meanwhile, its exports also slightly decreased in 2025, with just over 1,800 units sold.

In 2026, Skyworth Automobile's sales performance remained sluggish. In the first six months of the year, cumulative domestic sales were only 387 units, with monthly sales in February through May all in the double digits.

Pioneering a 'Health-Preserving' Promotional Approach, Aiming to Become the Transsion of the Auto Industry

Previously, perhaps to generate buzz for Skyworth Automobile, Huang Hongsheng pioneered a unique "health-preserving" promotional approach, making some astonishing claims.

According to media reports, at the 2023 Skyworth Automobile Spring Technology Ecosystem Conference, Huang declared, "By driving a Skyworth automobile, you can extend your lifespan by 30 years and enjoy a centenarian life."

During the 2024 Beijing Auto Show, it was reported that Huang claimed at the event, "Skyworth Automobile can alleviate hypertension, boost immunity, and eliminate habitual diarrhea." He also cited his personal experience, stating, "Since driving a Skyworth electric vehicle, my hypertension, diabetes, and other ailments have improved."

In May of the same year, Skyworth Automobile officially clarified that its unique Health 3.0 system indeed has functions such as real-time assessment of vital signs and improvement of sleep quality. However, the company's external communications regarding health technology stop there, and it has never used terms like "curing diseases" or "extending lifespan."

Skyworth Automobile also emphasized that Huang's sharing was based on his personal experiences, illustrating the positive effects of Skyworth Automobile, especially the Health 3.0 system, on his personal health, such as medically sound concepts like "deep sleep boosting immunity." Huang never claimed that his personal experiences were universally applicable.

At the time, a Skyworth Automobile brand representative also told the media that the relevant content was taken out of context by certain sources.

The representative pointed out, "Skyworth Automobile assists you in achieving deep sleep, but ultimately, it is still your personal good midday rest habits that improve health issues. The boss indeed often takes midday naps in the car every day without fail. He often doesn't have time to go to the hospital, but later, during physical examinations, it was found that these ailments had disappeared. Therefore, he attributes this phenomenon to the good habit of daily midday naps."

At the 20th Summer Summit of the Yabuli Chinese Entrepreneurs Forum held in late August of the same year, Huang Hongsheng once again launched a "health-preserving marketing" campaign, stating, "From a traditional Chinese medicine perspective, the car's interior space is small and has balanced air quality. I take a one-hour midday nap in a Skyworth automobile every day, and by persistently doing so for ten years, all my sub-health issues have disappeared."

It is worth mentioning that in May 2024, Wu Longba, the president and co-founder of Skyworth Automobile, revealed that Skyworth Automobile initially planned for 30% of its sales to come from overseas markets. After the domestic market initiated a "price war," the company adjusted its target to 50% of sales coming from overseas markets, seeking greater growth in international markets.

In March of this year, Huang Hongsheng stated in an interview with Sina Technology that the domestic automotive sector is currently "extremely competitive, the most fierce industry." To cope with market competition, Skyworth chose to expand overseas, "hoping to become the Transsion of the auto industry."

Huang mentioned that Skyworth Automobile is now focusing on developing overseas markets, having expanded to several continents, including Mexico and Canada (excluding the United States), South America, Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and Africa. The overseas market space is enormous.

However, given Skyworth Automobile’s recent situation in the UK market, its path to overseas expansion may not be smooth sailing.

According to Economic Herald, industry insiders believe that Skyworth Automobile's sluggish sales are the result of multiple factors. On the one hand, the company's products lack advanced intelligent driving features. In the 2026 market, where 800V high-voltage fast charging and urban NOA are becoming standard, Skyworth Automobile still primarily offers L2-level basic driver assistance systems.

On the other hand, the company's product iterations are severely lagging. The currently available Skyworth EV6 and Skyworth HT-i have been on the market for a considerable time. In the fiercely competitive market environment of new energy vehicle giants, the brand lacks core competitiveness.

Regarding the future development of Skyworth Automobile, Leadar Finance will continue to monitor the situation.