What Is the Significance of Independent Qualification?

Recently, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) unveiled the latest batch of "New Vehicle Manufacturing Enterprises to Be Approved" in its "Announcement on Road Motor Vehicle Production Enterprises and Products," featuring Anhui HiCar New Energy Automobile Co., Ltd. This development signifies that HiCar will become the first automobile brand among the five under Harmony Intelligent Travel to attain independent production qualification.

(Image source: MIIT)

So, what implications does HiCar's bid for independent automobile manufacturing qualification hold? Will it influence its future collaborative ties with Harmony Intelligent Travel?

Independent Qualification Grants HiCar Greater Autonomy

Dianchetong (ID: dianchetong233) discovered through public platform searches that Anhui HiCar New Energy Automobile Co., Ltd. was founded in January 2025. Presently, Chery holds an 85% stake, with the remaining 15% being transferred by Chery to three HiCar executives in June of this year: Guo Rui, General Manager of HiCar; Zhu Xiaodong, Executive Deputy General Manager; and Zhao Changjiang, Executive Vice President.

In essence, Chery still wields absolute control over Anhui HiCar New Energy Automobile Co., Ltd., and in the MIIT's public announcement, HiCar is also identified as a member enterprise of the Chery Group.

So, why is HiCar seeking independent qualification?

According to a Yicai report, insiders at HiCar have confirmed to the media that the qualification HiCar has obtained stems from Chery transferring a factory to HiCar, with HiCar planning to pursue further independent listing down the line.

Hence, the rationale behind HiCar's quest for independent qualification becomes evident: by securing its own qualification, it can establish an independent production, sales, and after-sales system to better manage costs and profits, laying the groundwork for a subsequent listing.

(Image source: HiCar)

Apart from HiCar, in this batch of MIIT announcements, VOYAH also applied for independent qualification. Does this suggest that VOYAH may also seek independent financing and listing in the future?

However, within the broader automotive industry, it is relatively common for a large automotive group to possess multiple qualifications, yet it is rare for a single sub-brand to hold an independent qualification.

For instance, Zeekr and Lynk & Co, both under Geely, are operated by the relatively autonomous subsidiary Zeekr Technology Group, yet the models under these two brands still utilize the production qualification of Zhejiang Geely Automobile Co., Ltd.

The same applies to BYD's major sub-brands: Yangwang, Fangchengbao, and Denza lack independent production qualifications and all rely on the qualification of BYD Auto Industry Co., Ltd. for production.

This indicates that HiCar is charting a novel course distinct from other sub-brands under large automotive groups, possessing independent production qualifications and factory production lines within the Chery Automobile framework, as well as independent sales and after-sales channels, and even contemplating independent financing and listing in the future.

Coupled with Chery's transfer of a 15% stake in HiCar to three executives in July this year, it also to some extent reflects HiCar's stance on internal transformation. By enabling professional managers to hold a certain proportion of company shares, it can better motivate executives and foster the sustainable development of the HiCar brand.

So, are HiCar's adjustments unique among the brands under Harmony Intelligent Travel? What are the other brands up to?

Strategic Deployment: Harmony Intelligent Travel Is Making Moves

At this juncture, besides HiCar, AITO and Luxeed under Harmony Intelligent Travel are also implementing operational adjustments to a certain degree.

First up is the AITO brand. Seres and Huawei renewed their partnership on October 1 this year, reaching a new five-year agreement. According to the official announcement, the two entities will "jointly establish a dedicated team for the AITO business, further elevate the AITO business, and better serve users through exclusive operations."

(Image source: AITO)

In essence, Huawei's various empowerments for AITO brand products will persist in the new five-year period and become more profound, yet AITO will be granted greater autonomy in terms of sales channels, enabling it to expand its sales channels more flexibly and thereby enhance terminal sales performance.

Next is the Luxeed brand. In the MIIT's announcement of new products in June this year, the tail identifiers of multiple Luxeed models were altered from BAIC Group to BAIC BJEV, and the vehicle brand was changed from Huazhang to Luxeed.

Although this is a minor adjustment and does not pertain to the product or business operations themselves, Dianchetong (ID: dianchetong233) believes that this subtle shift also mirrors ongoing internal adjustments within the Luxeed brand.

Previously, the brand registered on Luxeed's vehicle registration certificates and qualification certificates was Huazhang, which was not aligned with the Luxeed brand at the sales level, even sparking some negative public opinion attacks and hindering its development.

Following this adjustment by Luxeed, its vehicle brand name can now align with the actual sales brand, not only legitimizing the brand but also alleviating consumer doubts about the brand, thus better facilitating vehicle sales.

So, why are AITO, HiCar, and Luxeed all undergoing transformations this year?

In Dianchetong's (ID: dianchetong233) perspective, the current adjustments among the brands under Harmony Intelligent Travel are essentially a reboot following rapid development in prior years.

Indeed, the swift expansion of Harmony Intelligent Travel in previous years also somewhat obscured certain issues. For example, Harmony Intelligent Travel previously restricted each cooperative brand to be accountable for different vehicle categories, resulting in a lack of competition among brands and also dampening brand operation enthusiasm to a certain extent. Additionally, Luxeed and HiCar's sedan and sporty SUV models relied on the ONE BOX concept, leading to low user acceptance and also impacting the sales of the two brands to a certain degree.

The emergence of these issues not only constrains the further development of each brand but, if left unaddressed, will ultimately undermine the overall competitiveness of Harmony Intelligent Travel.

Fortunately, Harmony Intelligent Travel has opted not to conceal these issues but to actively adjust in collaboration with its cooperative brands to further unleash brand enthusiasm. Therefore, this year, we can witness Luxeed starting to focus on the off-road and SUV segments, while HiCar begins to explore flagship MPVs and sporty crossover SUVs. Even AITO, which has consistently adhered to the SUV segment, has indicated that after establishing itself in the SUV market, it will delve into sedan and MPV models.

Actions such as the renewal of the partnership between Seres and Huawei, HiCar's bid for independent qualification, and Luxeed's alignment of brand names are all moderate optimizations and adjustments made by the major brands under Harmony Intelligent Travel based on their actual development and market competition needs.

From these nuances, it is also evident that Harmony Intelligent Travel is continually adjusting in accordance with its own development rhythm and the needs of its cooperative brands. Although the overall sales of Harmony Intelligent Travel are currently somewhat sluggish, Dianchetong (ID: dianchetong233) believes that as the adjustments among the brands under Harmony Intelligent Travel conclude and each brand embarks on a development path more tailored to itself, the sales of Harmony Intelligent Travel are poised to witness a further upswing.

Final Thoughts

For consumers, whether a car brand's qualification has shifted has minimal bearing on actual vehicle usage.

However, such a subtle alteration can also mirror a shift in a car company's operational approach.

HiCar's pursuit of independent qualification is not only the inaugural exploration among the five brands under Harmony Intelligent Travel but also a catalyst for its long-term development. Whether HiCar can thrive under the new model and bolster sales holds substantial reference value for the other four brands.

Similarly, certain adjustments made by the other four brands at this stage can also be applied to the HiCar brand to enable it to achieve further growth on its existing foundation.

The internal transformation of Harmony Intelligent Travel has quietly commenced. It is believed that with the ongoing optimization, adjustment, and self-innovation of its various brands, Harmony Intelligent Travel will usher in a new phase of development, marked by significant enhancements in both sales performance and market confidence.

Source: Leikeji

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