Maple (marque)

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

Maple Automobile Co., Ltd.
TypeSubsidiary
IndustryAutomotive
Founded2000 (Fengjing) as Shanghai Maple Guorun Automobile Co., Ltd.
上海華普汽車
Headquarters
Fengjing, Shanghai
,
China
ProductsAutomobiles
ParentZhejiang Geely Holding Group
Maple's headquarters in Fengjing, Shanghai

History

Originally the Shanghai Maple (SMA, Shanghai Maple Automobiles), the brand was established in 2000 producing Huapu (Maple) branded vehicles.[2] 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 iy out in 2010.[3]

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

The Maple Marindo was displayed at the 2005 Frankfurt Motor Show.[5]

The export of Shanghai Maple vehicles to Egypt began in 2007, where 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]

As of 2020, the Maple brand was revived as a result of a partnership between Geely and Kandi Technologies. Geely holds 78 per cent of Fengsheng Automotive Technology Group, the remaining 22 per cent is owned by Zhejiang Kandi Vehicle or Kandi Technologies. The business purpose is officially stated as research, development, and sales of electric vehicles and vehicle parts, vehicle leasing services, and relevant after-sales services. The revived Maple brand will make a series of affordable electric cars based on existing Geely petrol cars. The first Maple product is the Maple 30X, based on the Geely Vision X3. According to the Maple product launch plan, a mid-size SUV, a mini hatchback and an ultra-mini hatchback are planned for 2021. The Chinese manufacturer also announced that an electric pickup and an electric roadster is in the pipeline.[11]

Previous Products


  • A Maple Whirlwind
  • A Maple Marindo hatch
  • A Maple Marindo sedan
  • A Maple Hisoon hatch
  • A Maple Hisoon sedan
  • A Maple Hysoul
  • A Maple Haifeng

Brand Relaunched Products

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. Business Week
  3. Automotive World 3 July 2008
  4. China Car Times 25 September 2008
  5. Auto Motor und Sport 15 September 2005
  6. SMG Egypt
  7. Geely website Archived 2012-10-18 at the Wayback Machine
  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. "Maple 30x is a new low-cost EV from China".
  12. https://electrek.co/2020/04/23/maple-30x-electric-crossover-9000/
  13. https://electrek.co/2020/04/23/maple-30x-electric-crossover-9000/
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