Shanghai Maple

Shanghai Maple Guorun Automobile Co., Ltd. (Shanghai Maple) was a Chinese automobile manufacturing company based in Fengjing, Shanghai, and a subsidiary of Zhejiang Geely Holding Group.[1]

Shanghai Maple Guorun Automobile Co., Ltd.
上海華普汽車
TypeSubsidiary
IndustryAutomotive
Founded2000 (Fengjing)
Defunct2010, 2022
SuccessorTurned into sub-brand of Livan Automotive
Headquarters
Fengjing, Shanghai
,
China
ProductsAutomobiles
ParentZhejiang Geely Holding Group

History

Originally Shanghai Maple (SMA, Shanghai Maple Automobiles), the brand was established in 2000, producing Huapu (Maple) branded vehicles.[2] The vehicles are listed under the Langfeng (朗风) brand while being sold as Huapu (华普) products. Geely acquired a strategic holding in Shanghai Maple in 2002, and in 2008, Shanghai Maple was fully consolidated into Geely as their budget brand before phasing it out in 2010.[3]

The first Shanghai Maple vehicle was produced in the summer of 2003, based on the 1990s-era Citroën ZX.[4]

The Maple Marindo, a revised version still on Citroën basis, was displayed at the 2005 Frankfurt Motor Show.[5]

The export of Shanghai Maple vehicles to Egypt began in 2007, where they were marketed as the C51 (saloon) and C52 (saloon with Audi style grille).[6] A sportier R80 hatchback[7] and R81 saloon were exported to markets including Russia and Chile. In 2010, Geely partially phased out the Shanghai Maple marque, replacing it with the Englon budget brand.[8]

In February 2013, Shanghai Maple and Kandi Technologies announced that they had agreed to establish a 50:50 joint venture, Zhejiang Kandi Electric Vehicles Investment, with an initial registered capital of 1 billion yuan (US$160 million), focused on the research and development, production, marketing, and sale of electric vehicles in the Chinese mainland.[9] The joint venture agreement was signed on 22 March 2013.[10]

Rebirth

As of 2020, the Maple brand was revived as a result of the partnership between Geely and Kandi Technologies. Geely holds 78 percent of Fengsheng Automotive Technology Group while the remaining 22 percent is owned by Zhejiang Kandi Vehicle or Kandi Technologies. The new brand was said to focus on research, development, and sales of electric vehicles and vehicle parts, vehicle leasing services, and relevant after-sales services. The revived Maple brand was to make a series of affordable electric cars based on existing Geely petrol cars. The first Maple product was the Maple 30X, based on the Geely Vision X3.[11] An SUV and two hatchbacks were planned for launch in 2021; the manufacturer also announced it was working on several electric vehicles.[11]

In March 2021, Kandi Technologies exited its stake in Maple, transferring its 22 percent equity interest in Fengsheng to Geely.[12]

In 2022, Geely launched a new joint venture between Lifan and Maple called Livan (Ruilan, 睿蓝). Geely announced the launch of the Maple Leaf 60S, Geely's first battery swap car under the Livan brand, produced in association with Lifan and based on the Geely Emgrand GL.[13][14][15][16]

In 2022, after the Lifan Group was acquired by Geely Holding Group,[17] Geely reconsolidated and merged the Maple brand into the Livan brand, ending Maple's existence as an independent brand and making it a model name under the Livan brand.[18][19][20]

Products

Shanghai Maple
  • Maple Whirlwind (Biaofeng)
    Maple Whirlwind (Biaofeng)
  • Maple Marindo hatch
    Maple Marindo hatch
  • Maple Marindo sedan
    Maple Marindo sedan
  • Maple Hisoon hatch
    Maple Hisoon hatch
  • Maple Hisoon sedan
    Maple Hisoon sedan
  • Maple Hysoul (Haishang)
    Maple Hysoul (Haishang)
  • Maple Haifeng
    Maple Haifeng

Maple (electric)
  • Maple 30x
    Maple 30x
  • Maple 60S
    Maple 60S
  • Maple 80V
    Maple 80V

References
  1. He, Xiyou (2011). "Interaction between transnational corporations and local government on industry clusters in China: the case of the automobile industry". In Kuchiki, Akifumi; Tsuji, Masatsugu (eds.). Industrial Clusters, Upgrading and Innovation in East Asia. Cheltenham: Edward Elgar Publishing. p. 206. ISBN 978-0-85793-512-0.
  2. "Shanghai Maple Automobile Co. Ltd". Investing.businessweek.com. Retrieved 16 February 2022.
  3. "Automotive World". Automotiveworld.com. 3 July 2008. Retrieved 16 February 2022.
  4. "Shanghai Maple nearly makes good-looking car". Chinacartimes.com. Retrieved 16 February 2022.
  5. Auto Motor und Sport 15 September 2005
  6. "SMG Engineering Automotive Company". Smgeac.com. Retrieved 16 February 2022.
  7. "浙江吉利汽车有限公司". Geely.com. Archived from the original on 18 October 2012. Retrieved 16 February 2022.
  8. Ash (2010-10-29). "Englon brand to get major boost in 2011". ChinaCarTimes.
  9. "Geely subsidiary signs joint EV venture deal". The China Post. 6 February 2013. Retrieved 17 February 2013.
  10. "Kandi Technologies Corp's Zhejiang Kandi Vehicles Co Ltd Enters Into Joint Venture Agreement With Geely Automobile Holdings Ltd's Guorun Automobile Co Ltd". Reuters. 25 March 2013. Retrieved 1 April 2013.
  11. Randall, Chris (20 April 2020). "Maple 30x is a new low-cost EV from China". Electrive.com. Archived from the original on 2022-12-06.
  12. "Kandi Technologies Exits Geely Affiliation" (Press release). Nasdaq, Inc. 2021-03-15. Archived from the original on 2023-07-04.
  13. "Maple Leaf 60S To Launch in February - With Battery Swap in 60 seconds". CarNewsChina.com. 21 January 2022. Retrieved 16 February 2022.
  14. Borrás, Jo (22 January 2022). "Geely-backed Maple Leaf 60S leaked ahead of Feb. debut, with 60 sec. battery swap". Electrek.co. Retrieved 16 February 2022.
  15. "Maple Leaf 60S EV-1". Paultan.org. Retrieved 16 February 2022.
  16. "Maple Leaf 60S EV-2". Paultan.org. Retrieved 16 February 2022.
  17. Jiang, Michael (2020-08-13). "Chuan Geely's acquisition of Lifan plus Southwest Market may be the main reason". SMM: Shanghai Metals Market. SMM Information & Technology Co., Ltd. Retrieved 2023-05-16.
  18. ""枫叶"汽车或退出市场". www.sohu.com. Retrieved 2023-05-17.
  19. "睿蓝汽车官方网站-换电轻出行普及者". www.livanauto.com. Retrieved 2023-05-17.
  20. 网易 (2022-01-24). "独家"枫叶"汽车或退出市场 吉利、力帆合资公司将推新品牌、新车定位5-8万元". www.163.com. Retrieved 2023-05-17.
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