Aiways

Aiways Automobiles Company Ltd is a Chinese automobile manufacturer of electric cars founded in 2017. The Aiways name is derived from the phrase "Ai (meaning 'love' in Chinese) is on the way".[2]
== History[edit] ==
=== Beginnings[edit] ===
Startup Aiways was founded by two Chinese entrepreneurs, Fu Qian and Gu Feng, in 2017 in Shanghai. From the very beginning, the goal was to develop a range of SUVs with electric drive.[4] A study preview of the first production Aiways vehicle was the prototype U5 Ion Concept presented in November 2018, with plans to introduce the series character next spring.[5] On the occasion of the first study, Aiways announced sales plans concerning not only the domestic Chinese market, but also European.[6]
In line with previous announcements, the first production car of the Aiways brand was the mid-size SUV U5 presented in March 2019.[7] In January 2020, Aiways announced the official European debut of the U5 at Geneva Motor Show 2020,[8] thus becoming the first fully Chinese brand to officially start selling an electric car in this region.[9]
Due to the cancellation of the Geneva Motor Show as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic,[10] The premiere of Aiways U5 did not take place. The start of sales of the model in selected Western European markets is scheduled for August 2020.[11] In July 2020, the first transport of 500 U5 units will arrive in Europe, which will operate as part of the Hertz car rental company in the French Corsica.[12] In April 2021, Aiways introduced its second production car in the form of a mid-size SUV Coupe called U6. The vehicle has an avant-garde design, for which former stylist Ferrari, Ken Okuyama was responsible.[13]
In December 2022, Aiways won a contract to supply up to 150,000 EVs from Thai e-mobility service provider Phoenix EV.[14]: 58 
=== Crisis and reactivation[edit] ===
In mid-2023, the company's financial situation collapsed, which led to the suspension of employee salaries and production stoppages.[15] Then, in August 2023, the current president of the company left and was replaced by a new manager who decided to restructure. He decided to intensify his activities on foreign markets, withdrawing Aiways from the domestic, too difficult Chinese market and preparing to rebuild its plans for the European market.[16] At the beginning of 2024, Aiways was on the verge of bankruptcy, from which Aiways was protected from Chinese state authorities in March 2024 and together with Haima and Zhidou provided stable financing for the resumption of full-scale operations.[17]
=== Gumpert Aiways[edit] ===
In 2017, German engineer and entrepreneur Roland Gumpert, after his company Gumpert went bankrupt and was sold to Hong Kong investors, who changed its name to Apollo Automobil, decided to create a new business initiative. He entered into cooperation with the Chinese Aiways, creating the company Gumpert Aiways Automobile. In 2021, it was planned to produce a hybrid coupe RG Nathalie,[18] however, it did not materialize and the company remained inactive at the beginning of the third decade of the 21st century.
== Sales strategy[edit] ==
Sales of the vehicles produced in Shangrao[2] started in December 2019 in China. In Europe, the first models are due to hit the stores in mid-2020. Instead of being carried by ship, the vehicles are to be transported by train, which should reduce the transport time from six weeks to 16 days.[19] The vehicles are to be sold in Germany via Euronics Deutschland, a cooperative chain of independent consumer electronics and white goods retailers. Maintenance and spare parts logistics are to be carried out by the cooperation partner A.T.U.
== Facilities[edit] ==
The company has Global headquarters in Shanghai, China plus European headquarters and R&D centre