Jiyue 01 pre-sales start at RMB 259,900, and its first production vehicles rolled off the assembly line today at Geely's plant in Ningbo, Zhejiang province.

The car is based on Geely's Sustainable Experience Architecture (SEA), similar to Zeekr's model and Smart's EV model.

The development means Baidu's car-making efforts are one step closer to seeing fruition.

Geely and Baidu formed a joint venture called Jidu Auto in March 2021, with Baidu holding a 55 percent stake and Geely holding 45 percent.

Jidu held its first Robo Day event on June 8, 2022 and unveiled Robo-01, its robot car concept.

On October 27, 2022, Jidu launched Robo-01 Lunar Edition, equipped with high-specification hardware, powerful performance and a starting price of RMB 399,800 yuan.

On December 30, 2022, Jidu officially unveiled its second model, the Robo-02, at the Guangzhou auto show, where it showcased the Robo-01. The Jidu Robo-02 is an all-electric coupe, with a similar familial design at the front as the Robo-01 SUV.

However, on August 15, Geely announced that it was launching a new brand, Jiyue, in conjunction with Baidu, calling it a major milestone in their strategic partnership.

Also on August 15, the Jiyue 01 entered a filing catalog with China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, clearing a key regulatory hurdle for its official launch.

The operating entity of the Jiyue brand is 65 percent owned by Geely, with the remaining 35 percent owned by an affiliate of Baidu. The arrangement appears to have been made in response to regulatory requirements, and Jidu's accounts on social media platforms were subsequently changed to Jiyue.

($1 = RMB 7.2953)

Baidu's car-making effort clears major regulatory hurdle, 1st model to debut under new brand in Q4