BEIJING: Three sources told Reuters that Jidu Auto, a smart electric vehicle joint venture between China’s tech giant Baidu Inc and Chinese manufacturer Geely, has engaged Frank Wu, a former Cadillac designer, to manage its design studio. Jidu’s CEO, Xia Yiping, told Reuters exclusively in April that the new company, which was created in January, plans to invest 50 billion yuan (US$7.7 billion) in smart car production over the next five years.
Wu previously oversaw the design studio of Chinese state-owned carmaker BAIC’s Beijing brand in Beijing and worked for GM’s premium Cadillac brand in Warren, Michigan.
After Tesla’s success in commercializing EVs, tech companies around the world are rushing to build smart cars. Baidu’s EV manufacturing ambition comes at a time when tech companies around the world are racing to develop smart cars. Geely’s EV-focused platform, Sustainable Experience Architecture, serves as the foundation for the cooperation (SEA). Jidu is presently owned by Baidu, which owns 55%, and Geely, which owns 45%. A request for comment from Baidu and Jidu was not immediately returned. Jidu, based in Shanghai and Beijing, also expects to launch its automotive brand in the third quarter of 2021.
(Yingzhi Yang, Yilei Sun, and Tony Munroe contributed reporting; Louise Heavens edited the piece.)
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