Zotye Auto (; officially Zotye International Automobile Trading Co., Ltd.) was a privately owned Chinese automobile manufacturer based in Yongkang, Zhejiang, China. It was owned by Zotye Holding Group and was established in 2005 and known for its blatant copying of products across different automotive brands around the world.

History

Zotye was founded on 2005 by Zotye Holding Group. Previously, Zotye had contracts to only export automotive parts but increased its production to complete cars to take advantage of the expanding Chinese automotive market. In 2005, because of their reputation as a reliable partner, Zotye established contracts for sales subsidiaries in 10 different countries. Since 2005, Zotye has expanded its automobile lineup and production numbers. The first model of the brand was a small SUV, the Zotye RX6400, later renamed to Zotye Nomad. The Zotye Nomad was a licensed production rebadged version of the Daihatsu Terios (see also Automotive industry in China). Zotye's total revenues in 2006 were 2.88 billion RMB (about €290 million). Zotye Auto ranked 352nd with a revenue of 20.80 billion RMB and a profit of 1.13 billion RMB on Top 500 Chinese Companies List released by Fortune China on July 10, 2018. The company entered bankruptcy and liquidation proceedings in 2021. Its cessation followed complex financial issues caused by consequently worsening debt. Shanghai Ziyang Investment said that it would not invest due to fluctuation in the company's stock price. Production was reportedly restarted in December 2022.

Latest lineup

Series E

E20 EV

The E20 EV is a small electric car produced by Zhidou Auto for Zotye.

E30 EV

The E30 EV is a small electric car that looks very much like the older version of the Smart Fortwo. Launched at the 2015 Shanghai Auto Show, its body shares the look of the Smart's individually painted Tridion safety cell and wheel-in-each-corner layout. It has a 1765mm wheelbase, and measures 2798mm long, 1563mm wide, and 1572mm tall - smaller than the equivalent Smart Car. The central console is reported as having been inspired by the Tesla Model S, with a large touch screen. The electric drive is built around a 17.6kWh battery and an electric motor that provides up to 18 kW of power and 83NM of torque. Zotye claim that the E30 has a top speed exceeding 80 km/h and a driving range of 150 km. In 2016 the company reported sales of just 3,471 units.

E200 EV

The E200 EV is an electric city car unveiled in 2015 in Shanghai and is currently still in production. Powered by a Lithium-ion battery and an electric motor that provides a maximum torque of 82NM, it has a claimed top speed of 105km/h and a range of 301km. In 2016 the company reported sales of 13,154 units.

E300 EV

Formerly called the M300 EV, the E300 is a multi purpose vehicle based on the Fiat Multipla but using an electric power train instead of the petrol engined M300. The E300 MPV has 6 seats 5 doors and the floor pan of the Fiat Bravo.

Series Z

Z100

At the 2013 Shanghai Auto Show, Zotye introduced their new Z100 model, a five-door hatchback city car, with a design very much inspired from the seventh generation Suzuki Alto. The model was initially revealed one year before as the New Jiangnan TT. It is one of the cheapest cars on the Chinese market.

Z300/ Z360

The Z300 four-door

compact Compact as used in politics may refer broadly to a pact or treaty; in more specific cases it may refer to: * Interstate compact * Blood compact, an ancient ritual of the Philippines * Compact government, a type of colonial rule utilized in Britis ...

saloon was launched in 2012. It has a remarkable likeness to the design of the second generation (2007) Toyota Allion. The facelift version was later renamed to Z360.

Z500/ Z560

The Z500 is a 4-door sedan that was produced since November 2014. It runs on a 1.5 litre 4G15 or 4A91 engine. Transmission choices are a 5 speed manual or a CVT gearbox. The facelift version was renamed to z560.

Z700

The Z700 (formerly known as the Z600) is a sedan produced by Zotye Auto since 2016 positioned above the Z500. It runs on a 1.8 litre turbo or 2.0 litre turbo engine paired with a 6 speed dual clutch gearbox. Pricing is 99,800 yuan to 158,800 yuan.

Series T

T300

The T300 is a Subcompact crossover.

T500

The T500 is a Compact crossover revealed during the 2017 Shanghai Auto Show and launched in March 2018.

T600

The T600 is a

mid-size crossover A crossover, crossover SUV, or crossover utility vehicle (CUV) is a type of automobile with an increased ride height that is built on unibody chassis construction shared with passenger cars, as opposed to traditional sport utility vehicles (S ...

launched in December 2013, powered by either a 1.5-litre turbo or a 2.0-litre turbo petrol engine. According to much of the media, it has a remarkable resemblance to the

Audi Q5 The Audi Q5 is a series of compact luxury crossover SUVs produced by the German luxury car manufacturer Audi from 2008. The original first-generation (''Typ 8R'') model was the third member of the ''B8'' family to be released after the Aud ...

and the Volkswagen Touareg. A higher trim model with completely redesigned front DRG and rear bumper called the Zotye T600 Sport was revealed in May 2016. Another higher trim model featuring redesigned DLO and D pillars called the Zotye T600 Coupe was revealed in March 2017.

T700

Previewed by the T600 S Concept launched on the 2015 Shanghai Auto Show, the T700 has been the flagship SUV of the Zotye brand ever since. It was one of the first original designs coming out of Zotye despite the ongoing copying controversies of other products. Production commenced in May 2017. The T700 is marketed as Zotye Z8 in Vietnamese market.

T800

Based on the T700, the Zotye T800 is a full-size SUV revealed during the 2018 Beijing Auto Show essentially being a longer version of the T700.

T900

The Zotye T900 is a full size SUV produced by Zotye positioned above the Zotye T800. Styling heavily resembles the

Land Rover Range Rover Sport The Land Rover Range Rover Sport, generally known simply as the Range Rover Sport, is a mid-size luxury SUV produced under their Land Rover marque, from the British manufacturer Land Rover, and later Jaguar Land Rover. The first generation (cod ...

and was expected to be launched on to the Chinese market in early 2019 with prices starting around 170,000 yuan or $23,400.

Other series

SR7

The SR7 is a compact crossover of the Zotye brand. It bears striking resemblance to the Audi Q3.

SR9

The SR9 is a

of the Zotye brand. It bears striking resemblance to the Porsche Macan.

Domy X5

The Domy X5 or Damai X5 is a compact crossover of the Zotye brand. It bears striking resemblance to the first generation Volkswagen Tiguan.

Domy X7

The Domy X7 or Damai X7 is a

of the Zotye brand. It bears striking resemblance to the 2015 Volkswagen Cross Coupe GTE Concept and 2018 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport Concept.

V10

The small microvan was launched in 2011. It runs on a 4G12 engine and 5 speed manual gearbox.

Earlier discontinued

JN Auto/TT

In 2009, Zotye purchased Jiangnan Auto and acquired their only production model, a facelifted Suzuki Alto which was initially sold as the JN Auto. In late 2010, Zotye released a $2,830 Jiangnan Alto, the cheapest car in China and possibly in the world, and now calls the car Zotye TT.

2008/5008

In 2008, Zotye began exporting the Zotye Nomad, the export name for the

2008 File:2008 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: Lehman Brothers went bankrupt following the Subprime mortgage crisis; Cyclone Nargis killed more than 138,000 in Myanmar; A scene from the opening ceremony of the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing; ...

which was launched in China in 2006 as a rebadged Daihatsu Terios. In 2010, Zotye released the Zotye 5008 which is a facelifted Zotye 2008 for the Chinese domestic market. It is still sold as the "Nomad" but also as the Zotye Hunter in various export markers, and also in India as the Premier Rio. Together with LUIS Motors GmbH, Zotye has developed an electric version of the Zotye 5008 for the European market, where it is sold as the "Luis 4U". Zoyte also supplies

CKD kits A knock-down kit (also knockdown kit, knocked-down kit, or simply knockdown or KD) is a collection of parts required to assemble a product. The parts are typically manufactured in one country or region, then exported to another country or region ...

of Nomad to Premier Limited in India to sell a version of this car as Premier Rio, powered by a Peugeot TUD5 diesel engine. Nomads are also sold in South Africa and Latin America. Following a new restyling, it is now marketed as the Zotye T200. Zotye has an ambitious plan for developing electric cars. It started leasing 5008EVs in

Hangzhou Hangzhou ( or , ; , , Standard Chinese, Standard Mandarin pronunciation: ), also Chinese postal romanization, romanized as Hangchow, is the capital and most populous city of Zhejiang, China. It is located in the northwestern part of the prov ...

in 2010. Production ended in 2013.

M300

In 2009, Zotye released its second car model for the Chinese market, Zotye M300, (originally Multipla) which is a licensed rebadged production of the Fiat Multipla, a compact MPV produced by Italian automaker

Fiat Fiat Automobiles S.p.A. (, , ; originally FIAT, it, Fabbrica Italiana Automobili di Torino, lit=Italian Automobiles Factory of Turin) is an Italian automobile manufacturer, formerly part of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, and since 2021 a subsidiar ...

from 1998 to 2010. Production ended in 2013. Its successor is the E300EV (see above).

T200

The T200 is the facelifted version of the Zotye 5008, adding also a new interior design. It was launched in April 2013, and is powered by a range of a 1.3-litre and a 1.5-litre petrol engines, with four valves per cylinder and variable valve timing, reportedly sourced from Mitsubishi, which are able to develop between and between of torque. Production ended in 2016.

Z200/Z200HB

The Zotye Z200 and Z200HB are subcompact sedans and hatchbacks. Initial names of the Z200 and Z200HB are Langjun and Langjie respectively, but the products were later renamed to fit into the new Zotye product line. Zotye launched the Z200 saloon and Z200HB hatchback in 2011, an updated version of the Fiat Palio and

Siena Siena ( , ; lat, Sena Iulia) is a city in Tuscany, Italy. It is the capital of the province of Siena. The city is historically linked to commercial and banking activities, having been a major banking center until the 13th and 14th centur ...

which had been built in China by Nanjing Fiat from 2001 to 2006 with little success, and Zotye purchased the tooling for these cars in 2008. The Z200 stopped production in 2014.

Product gallery

File:Zotye Zhima E30 IMG001.jpg, Zotye Zhima E30 File:Zotye-E200EV.jpg, Zotye E200 EV File:Zotye M300 front.jpg, Zotye E300 EV/M300 File:Zotye Z100 China 2015-04-08.jpg, Zotye Z100 File:Zotye Z200 HB 001 China 2014-04-16.jpg, Zotye Z200 File:Zotye Z300 China 2014-04-16.jpg, Zotye Z300 File:Zotye Z500 China 2016-03-29.jpg, Zotye Z500 File:Zotye Z700 01 China 2016-04-07.jpg, Zotye Z700 File:Zotye T200 China 2014-04-16.jpg, Zotye T200 File:Zotye T300 (cropped).jpg, Zotye T300 File:Zotye T500 001 (cropped).jpg, Zotye T500 File:Zotye T600 facelift 001.jpg, Zotye T600 File:Zotye T600 Sport facelift (cropped).jpg, Zotye T600 Sport File:Zotye T600 Coupe 01 China 2018-03-20.jpg, Zotye T600 Coupe File:Zotye T700 02 China 2017-03-25.jpg, Zotye T700 File:Zotye T800 002 (cropped).jpg, Zotye T800 File:Zotye SR7 3 China 2016-03-30.jpg, Zotye SR7 File:Zotye SR9 China 2017-03-30.jpg, Zotye SR9 File:Zotye Damai X5 3 China 2016-03-29.jpg, Zotye Damai X5 File:Domy X7 001 China 2017-04-05.jpg, Zotye Damai X7 File:Zotye V10 001.jpg, Zotye V10 File:Jiangnan TT front in motion 8.12.18.jpg, Jiangnan TT File:Zotye 2008.jpg, Zotye 2008 File:Zotye 5008 01 China 2012-05-20.JPG, Zotye 5008 File:Zotye T200 front 8.14.18.jpg, Zotye T200

Traum (marque)

Traum is a sub-brand under Zotye Auto. This brand name means "dream" in German. The Traum brand was originally aimed at a younger target market. The Chinese name was pronounced as Junma (君马), and is best translated as Supreme Horse. The English slogan is ''Driven by Dreams''. The Chinese slogan is ''Dream for a Horse''. Cars branded under the Traum marque are manufactured by the former Jiangnan Auto, a subsidiary bought by Zotye that was famous for building China's cheapest car; the Jinan TT.

Traum Products

Traum S70

The Traum S70 is a mid-size crossover utility vehicle introduced in 2017.

Traum MEET3

The Traum MEET3 is a compact crossover utility vehicle based on the Zotye SR7 introduced in 2017.

Traum MEET5

The Traum MEET5 is a compact crossover utility vehicle inspired by the

Mazda CX-4 The Mazda CX-4 is a compact crossover SUV that was introduced in April 2016 at the Beijing Motor Show, and is produced and sold exclusively in China by the joint venture FAW Mazda. Overview The design of the Mazda CX-4 production car was pr ...

Traum SEEK5

The Traum SEEK5 is a mid-size crossover utility vehicle introduced in 2018.

Traum products gallery

File:Traum S70 01 China 2018-03-20.jpg, Traum S70 File:Traum Meet 3 02 China 2019-03-14.jpg, Traum Meet 3 File:Traum Seek 5 01 China 2019-03-14.jpg, Traum Seek 5

Markets

Vietnam

Besides China, Zotye also sells cars in

Vietnam Vietnam or Viet Nam ( vi, Việt Nam, ), officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam,., group="n" is a country in Southeast Asia, at the eastern edge of mainland Southeast Asia, with an area of and population of 96 million, making ...

. The only model offered is the Zotye Z8, which is called the T700 in China.

Sales

References

External links

Zotye International: Cars, SUVs, vans and other vehicles众泰汽车 (Zotye Auto)
{{Automotive industry in China Companies based in Zhejiang Vehicle manufacturing companies established in 2005 Car manufacturers of China Electric vehicle manufacturers of China Chinese brands 2005 establishments in China Defunct motor vehicle manufacturers of China