Jidu Auto

Shanghai Jidu Auto Co., Ltd.
Company type	Private
Industry	Automotive Technology
Founded	2021; 3 years ago
Headquarters	Shanghai, China
Key people	Joe Xia (CEO); Gang Luo (COO); Frank Wu (CDO);
Owner	Baidu (55%); Geely (45%);
Number of employees	Approx. 4000 (2024)
Website	Official website

Jidu Auto is a joint venture premium intelligent EV startup between Chinese tech giant Baidu and car manufacturer Geely. It is headquartered in Shanghai, China. Jidu Auto was founded in March 2021 as a technology Ai company that focus on the development of advance intelligence and autonomous electric vehicles.^[1]

History[edit]

Originally founded in March 2021 with an investment of $300 million,^[2] Jidu Auto completed a $400 million Series A financing in January 2022 from Baidu and Geely,^[3]^[4]^[5]

On December 7, 2022, Jidu Auto changed its legal name to Shanghai Mihang Automobile Co., Ltd.^[6]

On February 15, 2023, Jidu Auto announced that the firm would use Baidu's self-developed Ernie bot Artificial intelligence in its production cars as the first company to provide an interactive experience with artificial intelligence in production vehicles.^[7]^[8]

Relation with Ji Yue brand[edit]

Ji Yue (极越) brand was established in August 2023,^[9] a second company between Geely and Baidu to reconstruct the partnership between the two companies.^[10]^[11] The Ji Yue brand is 65% owned by Geely and 35% by Baidu which makes Ji Yue brand a subsidiary under Geely Group rather than a joint venture company like Jidu. Due to the Chinese government's policies, Baidu as the controlling company of Jidu, cannot obtain the qualification to manufacture cars. The purpose of establishment of Ji Yue was to turn Geely as the controlling company to solve the restriction of car manufacture qualification. Jidu Auto now operate as a technology solution company that focus on product design, product engineering, as well as development of AI driving and advance user interface technology for all Ji Yue vehicles.

With the new Ji Yue brand, the previous Jidu Robo-01 was renamed as Ji Yue 01. The Ji Yue brand inherited the brand logo created by Jidu Auto.^[12]^[13]

Products[edit]

Current Ji Yue vehicles are manufactured and assembled at Hangzhou Bay in Ningbo, where Geely's headquarter and several Geely plants are located.^[14]

Ji Yue 01 (2023–present), mid-size sports SUV
Ji Yue 07 (to commence), mid-size premium sedan

Ji Yue 01
Jidu Robo-02, prototype of Ji Yue 07

References[edit]

^ "Jidu Auto to invest billions in electrification by 2026". electrive.com. 2021-04-27. Retrieved 2021-09-24.
^ "Baidu's electric car brand Jidu closes $400M Series A round". techcrunch.com. January 26, 2022 – via Techcrunch.
^ "Jidu Auto steps up to roll out mass-produced robocars". chinadaily.com.cn. June 8, 2022 – via Chinadaily.
^ Knight, Will (June 8, 2022). "China's Jidu Robo-1 Looks Like It's From the Future. Maybe It Is". Wired. wired.com.
^ "Why Do We Think JIDU is a "Bad Business"". equalocean.com. July 13, 2022 – via Equalocean.
^ "Baidu's Jidu Automobile Has A New Name". carnewschina.com. December 7, 2022 – via CarNewsChina.
^ "Jidu Auto to Provide World's First AI Chatbot Experience in Smart Cars". yicaiglobal.com. February 15, 2023 – via YicaiGlobal.
^ Cheng, Evelyn (February 14, 2023). "Chinese EV startup Jidu plans to use ChatGPT-like tech". CNBC.
^ "极越 | 创造汽车机器人新物种" [Jiyue | creates a new species of automotive robots]. www.jiyue-auto.com (in Chinese). Retrieved 2023-09-03.
^ 马清. "Geely, Baidu unveil new car brand Ji Yue". www.chinadaily.com.cn. Retrieved 2023-08-25.
^ "JI YUE – Zhejiang Geely Holding Group". Retrieved 2023-08-25.
^ "百度吉利合作造车"集度"之后添"极越" 二者有何不同？ | 投中网" [Baidu and Geely cooperate to build "Jidu" car and then add "Jiyue". What is the difference between the two? | Touzhong.com]. www.chinaventure.com.cn. Retrieved 2023-08-25.
^ "Geely, Baidu Hitch Up on New EV Brand - Caixin Global". www.caixinglobal.com. Retrieved 2023-08-25.
^ Yang, Yingzhi; Diviggiano, Alessandro (June 8, 2022). "Baidu's electric vehicle firm Jidu unveils first 'robot' car". Reuters.

External links[edit]

Official website (in Chinese)

[1] "Jidu Auto to invest billions in electrification by 2026". electrive.com. 2021-04-27. Retrieved 2021-09-24.

[2] "Baidu's electric car brand Jidu closes $400M Series A round". techcrunch.com. January 26, 2022 – via Techcrunch.

[3] "Jidu Auto steps up to roll out mass-produced robocars". chinadaily.com.cn. June 8, 2022 – via Chinadaily.

[4] Knight, Will (June 8, 2022). "China's Jidu Robo-1 Looks Like It's From the Future. Maybe It Is". Wired. wired.com.

[5] "Why Do We Think JIDU is a "Bad Business"". equalocean.com. July 13, 2022 – via Equalocean.

[name_change-6] "Baidu's Jidu Automobile Has A New Name". carnewschina.com. December 7, 2022 – via CarNewsChina.

[7] "Jidu Auto to Provide World's First AI Chatbot Experience in Smart Cars". yicaiglobal.com. February 15, 2023 – via YicaiGlobal.

[8] Cheng, Evelyn (February 14, 2023). "Chinese EV startup Jidu plans to use ChatGPT-like tech". CNBC.

[9] "极越 | 创造汽车机器人新物种" [Jiyue | creates a new species of automotive robots]. www.jiyue-auto.com (in Chinese). Retrieved 2023-09-03.

[10] 马清. "Geely, Baidu unveil new car brand Ji Yue". www.chinadaily.com.cn. Retrieved 2023-08-25.

[11] "JI YUE – Zhejiang Geely Holding Group". Retrieved 2023-08-25.

[12] "百度吉利合作造车"集度"之后添"极越" 二者有何不同？ | 投中网" [Baidu and Geely cooperate to build "Jidu" car and then add "Jiyue". What is the difference between the two? | Touzhong.com]. www.chinaventure.com.cn. Retrieved 2023-08-25.

[13] "Geely, Baidu Hitch Up on New EV Brand - Caixin Global". www.caixinglobal.com. Retrieved 2023-08-25.

[14] Yang, Yingzhi; Diviggiano, Alessandro (June 8, 2022). "Baidu's electric vehicle firm Jidu unveils first 'robot' car". Reuters.

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