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Seres Group

{{Short description|Chinese vehicle manufacturer}}

{{Distinguish|||text=Seres (automobiles), the subsidiary}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2021}}

{{Infobox company

| name = Seres Group Co., Ltd

| native_name = 赛力斯集团股份有限公司

| native_name_lang = zh

| logo = Seres Group Logo.png

| founded = {{start date and age|df=y|1986|09|}}

| products = Automobiles, Motorcycle, commercial vehicles, auto parts

| revenue = {{Increase}} US$12,485,977

| revenue_year = 2023

| former_name = Sokon Group

| type = Public

| traded_as = {{sse|601127}}

| founders = Zhang Xinghai

| subsid = Seres
Seres Hubei
XGJAO Motorcycle
Yu'an Shock Absorber Company
Jinkang New Energy
Ruichi Automobile

| hq_location_city = Chongqing

| hq_location_country = China

| area_served = Worldwide

| predecessors = {{ubl

|Chongqing Baxian Fenghuang Electronic Factory (1986-1996)

|Chongqing Yu'an Shock Absorber Company (1996-2007)

|Chongqing Sokon Automobile (2007-2022)

}}

| num_employees = 13,238{{Cite web|url=https://in.search.yahoo.com/?fr2=inr|title=Yahoo Search - Web Search|website=in.search.yahoo.com}}

| net_income = {{Steady}} US$72,136

| assets = {{Decrease}} US$11,339,223

| assets_year = 2023

| owners = {{plainlist|

  • Chongqing Sokon Holding (founder Zhang's family) {{small|(26.53%)}}
  • Dongfeng Motor Corporation {{small|(21.68%)}}
  • Chongqing Yu'an Automotive Industrial (government of Chongqing) {{small|(4.38%)}}{{cite web|url=http://vip.stock.finance.sina.com.cn/corp/go.php/vCI_StockHolder/stockid/601127/displaytype/30.phtml|title=Profile|accessdate=7 June 2021}}

}}

| image =

| image_caption =

| romanized_name =

| industry = {{unbulleted list |Automotive|Production systems}}

| website = {{url|https://www.seres.cn/|official website}}

}}

Seres Group ({{Lang-zh|s=赛力斯集团股份有限公司|labels=no}}) (previously known as Sokon Group or Chongqing Sokon Industry Group Co., Ltd, {{Lang-zh|s=重庆小康工业集团股份有限公司|labels=no}}) is a Chinese automotive manufacturer founded in September 1986 with headquarters in Chongqing, China.{{Cite web |title=About - Seres Group Co., Ltd. |url=https://seres.cn/EnAbout.html |access-date=2024-05-13 |website=seres.cn}} Born as a manufacturer of components for household appliances and shock absorbers, it currently produces electric cars, ICEs cars, motorcycles and commercial vehicles as well as shock absorbers and internal combustion engines. In 2022, the company renamed to Seres Group from Sokon Group. It operates through its subsidiaries Seres, Seres Hubei, XGJAO Motorcycle and Yu'an Shock Absorber Company.{{cite web|url=http://en.sokon.com/en/about/about.html|title=Sokon: Profile|accessdate=7 June 2021|archive-date=12 April 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230412235847/http://en.sokon.com/en/about/about.html|url-status=dead}}

While Chinese automotive manufacturers are either state-owned or privately owned, Seres shareholders include private investors as well as a local government entity and a state-owned company.

The name Seres is derived from the Ancient Greek word "Σῆρες" which means "China".

History

The forerunner of the Sokon Group was Chongqing Baxian Fenghuang Electronic Factory (重庆巴县凤凰电器弹簧厂), a company founded in September 1986 by Zhang Xinghai and other shareholders, mainly engaged in the manufacture and sale of Japanese-licensed components for household appliances and springs for automotive seats. The products were destined for both the Chinese and Japanese markets and quickly achieved a market share in the sector of 90%. In September 1996, the Chongqing Yu'an Shock Absorber Company was founded, marking the establishment of a new plant dedicated to producing shock absorbers for cars and motorcycles. The plant quickly reached its peak production capacity, exceeding 1.5 million units per year. Subsequently, the company underwent a name change to Chongqing Yu'an Innovation Technology (Group).

Given the sales numbers of components, Chongqing Yu'an decided to enter directly into the automotive and motorcycle production sector by entering into agreements with both Japanese and Chinese manufacturers to create the new range of vehicles.

In July 2002, XGJAO Motorbyke was founded, a manufacturer of low cost sports motorcycles intended mainly for a young audience and the first models on the market were launched (the F4 followed in the following years by the F5, F6 and F7).

For the automotive production, an agreement was signed with Suzuki for the licensed supply of chassis and engines for microvans and small commercial vehicles and on 27 June 2003, the new Dongfeng Yu'an Automobile 50:50 joint venture with headquarters in Chongqing and assembly plant in Wuhan was founded together with Dongfeng Motor Corporation. Subsequently, an engineering center for the design of electric vehicles called Chongqing Ruichi Automobile Company was created.

In 2005 the first vehicle of the joint venture went into production at the Dongfeng plant in Wuhan: the microvan Dongfeng Yu'an K-Series which was also exported abroad (including Europe).

In May 2007 the entire industrial group changed its name to Chongqing Sokon Automobile Co., Ltd; the Yu'an brand was kept only to identify the production of shock absorbers and components, the Dongfeng Yu'an brand present on the minivans thus became Dongfeng Sokon (abbreviated to DFSK in overseas markets). In May 2012, the millionth vehicle of the Dongfeng Sokon joint venture was produced.

On 15 June 2016, the Sokon group was listed on the Shanghai Stock Exchange. In the same year, the first SUV-type vehicles, resulting from the joint venture with the Dongfeng group called DFSK Glory 580, went into production. In addition, the start-up SF Motors was founded in Santa Clara, California, with the intention of producing electric vehicles. SF Motors purchased AM General's manufacturing facility and opened three development and design centers for electric vehicles (one in California, one in Michigan and one in Chongqing).{{cite web|url=https://www.autonews.com/china/sf-motors-plans-open-ev-operations-indiana-plant-end-2020|title=SF Motors plans to open EV operations at Indiana plant by end of 2020|date=5 June 2021|access-date=8 June 2021}}

In November 2018, the group restructured, with Sokon acquiring Dongfeng's share in the joint venture for 621 million euros, becoming sole owner of DFSK. In exchange, Dongfeng acquired 26.1% of Sokon for 620 million euros, becoming its majority shareholder.{{cite web|url=http://autonews.gasgoo.com/m/70015386.html|title=Sokon to wholly own Dongfeng Sokon at expense of 26.01% stake offered to Dongfeng Motor Corporation|access-date=7 June 2021|date=19 November 2018}}

In January 2019 an agreement was signed with Huawei for the development of information technologies and software for electric vehicles.{{cite web|url=http://autonews.gasgoo.com/m/Detail/70015602.html|date=23 January 2019|access-date=8 June 2021|title=Sokon, Huawei ally on NEV, ICV, ICT infrastructure}}

To improve its electric vehicle production, in April 2022 the company signed an agreement with battery maker CATL, which will remain effective until 2026.{{cite web|url=https://autonews.gasgoo.com/m/70018702.html|title=

Sokon signs contract with CATL for long-term battery supply|date=22 April 2022|accessdate=14 October 2022}}

Seres actively expanded to export markets with its Seres and DFSK brands, by 2022 its cumulative exports amounted to 500,000 vehicles.{{Cite web |title=途经21国里程超1万公里 赛力斯携SERES 5开启欧洲极限路试-新华网 |url=http://www.news.cn/auto/20230620/bee7cb34be2c4cfcab3897befbb44df3/c.html |access-date=2025-05-08 |website=www.news.cn}}

In July 2022, the company name was changed to Seres Group.{{Cite web |title=Seres Group Co Ltd, 601127:SHH profile |url=https://markets.ft.com/data/equities/tearsheet/profile?s=601127:SHH |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230313035644/https://markets.ft.com/data/equities/tearsheet/profile?s=601127:SHH |archive-date=2023-03-13 |access-date=2023-03-13 |website=Financial Times |language=en}}{{Cite web |url=https://static.sse.com.cn/disclosure/listedinfo/announcement/c/new/2022-07-12/601127_20220712_4_o7C7Bz9u.pdf |date=2022-07-12 |access-date=2023-03-13 |website=Shanghai Stock Exchange |last=重庆小康工业集团股份有限公司董事会 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230313145405/https://static.sse.com.cn/disclosure/listedinfo/announcement/c/new/2022-07-12/601127_20220712_4_o7C7Bz9u.pdf |archive-date=2023-03-13 |url-status=live |author-link=Sokon |language=zh |script-title=zh:重庆小康工业集团股份有限公司 关于拟变更公司名称、证券简称的公告 |trans-title=Chongqing Sokon Industrial Group Co., Ltd name change and stock symbol change |id=601127 2022-070}} (listed under [http://www.sse.com.cn/home/search/?webswd=601127 赛力斯 ( 601127 )] 公告)

  • new name: {{Lang-zh|s=赛力斯集团股份有限公司}} / Seres Group Co., Ltd.
  • current name: {{Lang-zh|s=重庆小康工业集团股份有限公司}} / Chongqing Sokon Industrial Group Co., Ltd.

In August 2024, Seres Group announced that it would invest in Huawei's subsidiary "Yinwang" (Shenzhen Yinwang Intelligent Technology Co., Ltd.), accounting for 10% of its shares, with a price of RMB 11.5 billion.{{Cite web |last=腾讯网 |date=2024-08-25 |title=投资115亿元！赛力斯拿下引望10%股权 华为：引望将继续开放股权合作_腾讯新闻 |url=https://new.qq.com/rain/a/20240825A0618Z00 |access-date=2024-08-26 |website=news.qq.com |language=zh-CN}}

Brands and products

= AITO =

{{main|AITO (marque)}}

AITO is a brand Seres Automobile collaborates with Huawei for smart electric vehicle. Huawei is leads in the design of AITO models while Seres conducts in production. The AITO trademark was owned by Seres but was sold to Huawei in June 2023. while July 2024, Huawei announced the transfer of the English trademarks of AITO and the related patents it holds back to Seres Group at the cost of 2.5 billion RMB.{{Cite web |title=重磅！"问界"商标已转让给华为-开源基础软件社区-51CTO.COM |url=https://ost.51cto.com/posts/24545 |access-date=2023-06-26 |website=ost.51cto.com}}{{Cite web |title=余承东揭秘"25亿元转让问界"：国家法规要求，问界品牌至少值上百亿元 |url=https://www.yicai.com/news/102192195.html |access-date=2025-05-27 |website=www.yicai.com}}

File:2022 Seres AITO M5 (front).jpg|AITO M5

File:Aito M7 facelift 001.jpg|AITO M7

File:AITO M8 001.jpg|AITO M8

File:Aito M9 007 (cropped).jpg|AITO M9

= Seres =

{{main|Seres (automobiles)}}

Seres is a brand of electric vehicle marketed by Seres Group. Since 2023, Seres brand was shifted to export brand, while AITO became a domestic-only brand.{{Cite web |title=公司业务 - 赛力斯集团 |url=https://www.seres.cn/business.html |access-date=2023-12-11 |website=www.seres.cn}}

File:Seres_3_IAA_2023_1X7A0354.jpg|Seres 3

File:Seres_5_IAA_2023_1X7A0327.jpg|Seres 5

File:Seres_7_IAA_2023_1X7A0329.jpg|Seres 7

= Landian =

{{main|Seres (automobiles)}}

Landian is Seres brand for budget electric vehicles which unveiled in March 2023. The word Landian literally means blue electricity (蓝电) in Chinese.{{Cite web |last=Kang/CnEVPost |first=Lei |date=2023-03-30 |title=Seres unveils new NEV brand Landian and 1st model E5 with BYD, Huawei technology |url=https://cnevpost.com/2023/03/30/seres-unveils-new-nev-brand-landian-1st-model-e5/ |access-date=2023-06-28 |website=CnEVPost |language=en-US}}

Landian E5 at Auto Guangzhou 2023 20231126.jpg|Landian E5

= Ruichi Automobiles =

Chongqing Ruichi Automobiles was established in September, 2003. The company is a fully-funded subsidiary of Chongqing Sokon Group for pure electric commercial vehicles.{{Cite web |title=Chongqing Ruichi Automobiles is committed to becoming a leading brand for the mini electric commercial vehicles. |url=https://seres.cn/ruichi.html |access-date=2023-06-26 |website=seres.cn}}

File:Ruichi EC75 001.jpg|Ruichi EC75

File:Ruichi ED71 001.jpg|Ruichi ED71

File:Ruichi EC31 Shishi 01 2022-10-15.jpg|Ruichi EC31

File:Ruichi EC35 Shishi 01 2022-06-24.jpg|Ruichi EC35

= Fengon =

{{main|Seres Automobile (Hubei)}}

Fengon (or DFSK Glory for foreign markets) formerly known as Dongfeng Fengguang (东风风光), is the brand of Seres that produces passenger vehicles. Established in 2008, Fengon brand targets at affordable compact MPVs and SUVs. It was a joint venture brand with Dongfeng Group until it was fully acquired by Seres Group in 2022.

File:DFSK Fengon 5 1X7A7306.jpg|Fengon ix5

File:Fengon 580 II 002.jpg|Fengon 580

File:2018 Dongfeng Fengguang S560 (front).jpg|Fengon S560

File:2022 Fengon 380 001.jpg|Fengon 380

File:2016 Dongfeng-Fengguang 330, front 8.4.18.jpg|Fengon 330

File:Fengon Mini EV 01.jpg|Fengon Mini EV

= DFSK / Dongfeng Sokon =

{{main|Seres Automobile (Hubei)}}

DFSK (short for Dongfeng Sokon) is a brand of Seres that produces light commercial vehicles. It was a joint venture brand with Dongfeng Group until it was fully acquired by Seres Group in 2022.

In October 2023, Dongfeng Sokon Automobile was renamed to Seres Automobile (Hubei).{{Cite news |last=Li |first=Na |date=2023-10-12 |script-title=zh:注册资本8亿 东风小康公司更名赛力斯 |trans-title=Dongfeng Sokon changed its name to Seres with registered capital of RMB 800 million |url=https://www.autohome.com.cn/article?id=86btz_wP9HE= |access-date=2024-10-05 |work=Autohome |language=zh}}

{{gallery|File:2018 Dongfeng-Xiaokang (Sokon) C37, front 8.8.18.jpg|Sokon C-series|File:2014 Dongfeng-Xiaokang (Sokon) K09, front 8.10.18.jpg|Sokon K-series|File:Dongfeng DFSK V27 Cargo 2014 (14690231661).jpg|Sokon V-series}}

Sales

class="wikitable"

|+Seres Group sales{{Cite web |title=赛力斯(601127)年度报告_新浪财经_新浪网 |url=https://vip.stock.finance.sina.com.cn/corp/go.php/vCB_Bulletin/stockid/601127/page_type/ndbg.phtml |access-date=2023-04-13 |website=vip.stock.finance.sina.com.cn}}{{Cite web |title=汽车品牌销量排行榜，汽车品牌销量查询，2023年汽车品牌销量排行榜 - 车主之家 |url=https://xl.16888.com/brand.html |access-date=2023-04-13 |website=xl.16888.com}}{{Cite web |title=2012年中国汽车销量：增加4.3%为1,931万辆 - MarkLines全球汽车产业平台 |url=https://www.marklines.com/cn/report_all/rep1146_201302 |access-date=2023-07-25 |website=www.marklines.com}}{{Cite web |title=赛力斯（601127）公告正文 _ 数据中心 _ 东方财富网 |url=https://data.eastmoney.com/notices/detail/601127/AN202501011641501938.html |access-date=2025-01-01 |website=data.eastmoney.com}}

! rowspan="2" |Year

! rowspan="2" |Total

! colspan="2" |Seres

! colspan="3" |Seres Hubei

AITO

!Seres

!Fengon

!DFSK

!Landian

2010

|226,198

| colspan="2" | –

| colspan="2" |226,198

|–

2011

|243,053

| colspan="2" | –

| colspan="2" |243,053

|–

2012

|202,991

| colspan="2" | –

| colspan="2" |202,991

|–

2013

|205,019

| colspan="2" | –

| colspan="2" |205,019

|–

2014

|277,000

| colspan="2" | –

| colspan="2" |277,000

|–

2015

|275,316

| colspan="2" | –

|161,156

|114,160

|–

2016

|381,636

| colspan="2" | –

|258,997

|122,639

|–

2017

|400,038

| colspan="2" | –

| colspan="2" |400,038

|–

2018

|347,837

| colspan="2" | –

| colspan="2" |347,837

|–

2019

|325,381

| colspan="2" | –

| colspan="2" |325,381

|–

2020

|273,590

| colspan="2" | –

| colspan="2" |273,590

|–

2021

|266,614

| colspan="2" | 8,169{{Cite web |title=小康股份又亏了！"傍上"华为日子也难 - OFweek新能源汽车网 |url=https://nev.ofweek.com/2022-06/ART-71011-8120-30564357.html |access-date=2023-04-25 |website=nev.ofweek.com}}

| colspan="2" |258,445

|–

2022

|267,246

|76,180

|3,861

| colspan="2" |187,205

|–

2023

|253,181

|94,380

|12,323

| colspan="3" |146,478

2024

|497,008

| colspan="2" |389,419

| colspan="3" |70,123

See also

References

External links

  • {{Official website|https://www.seres.cn/}}
  • [http://www.sokon.com/en] (Official website old)

{{Automotive industry in the People's Republic of China}}

{{authority control}}

Category:Companies listed on the Shanghai Stock Exchange

Category:Vehicle manufacturing companies established in 1986

Category:Car manufacturers of China

Category:Electric vehicle manufacturers of China

Category:Chinese companies established in 1986

Category:Chinese brands

Category:Manufacturing companies based in Chongqing