History

Heibao Auto, also known as 黑豹汽车 (pinyin: Hēibào Qìchē), translates to "Black Panther Automobile." This Chinese automotive manufacturer is based in Weihai, Shandong Province, and operates under the official name Shandong HIPO Group Co., Ltd. Established in 1990, Heibao initially specialized in mini trucks and later broadened its product line to include SUVs, pickups, sedans, and low-speed electric vehicles (LSEVs). The company has a history of adapting designs from foreign models, such as the Suzuki Carry, or creating clones of popular cars like the Honda CR-V.

Heibao’s vehicles, including the HB1005 mini truck and EV 2003 LSEV, have seen exports to various markets, including Africa, the Middle East, Central Asia, and even North America. In the late 1990s, Heibao formed significant joint ventures, including one with Shenyang Shuangma, which led to the establishment of Shenyang Heibao, known for models like the Lucky Day SUV and SM6471 (a CR-V clone). The company also undertook contract manufacturing of the Lubin JLB sedan, utilizing the Tianjin Xiali platform.

Noteworthy moments in Heibao's history include a factory visit in 1996 by then-Chinese President Jiang Zemin and the early development of LSEVs in the 2000s, with some models offering a range of up to 110 km on lead-acid batteries. Today, Heibao continues its operations under the name Beiqi Heibao Automotive Weihai Co., Ltd., affiliated with Beijing Automotive Group (BAIC), and maintains its focus on producing small trucks and specialty vehicles, boasting an annual production capacity of 100,000 units.

Between 2003 and 2005, Heibao participated in a joint-venture with AUX, an appliance maker, to produce cars with the AUX brand name.

Heibao was later absorbed by the BAW Group. See BAW.

Sub-brands

AUX

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To see the complete list of "Alpha 3" country codes used in these pages to specify the market in which the model was sold, please visit the following website :
https://www.nationsonline.org/oneworld/country_code_list.htm
(We added (EUR) for Europe, (NAM) for North America, (SAM) for South America and (GCC) for Gulf Cooperation Council)