Chery-affiliated Kaiyi launches E-Qute 04 Max mini-EV in China with 310 km range at 7,000 USD
Kaiyi Auto, a regional automaker with ties to Chery, has launched new Max trims of its E-Qute 04 mini hatchback. Featuring a larger motor, revised interior, and a new LFP pack from CATL, the new Max retails for 47,900 – 51,900 yuan (approximately 7,000 – 7,600 USD).
The E-Qute 04 Max, also known as the Shiyue Max in China, has been absent from the ongoing 2026 Beijing Auto Show, along with the rest of the Kaiyi lineup. It also has a counterpart under the Chery brand as the QQ Duomi.
Starting from the outside, the Max gets new bumper designs, with the previous enclosed-grill design replaced with two side vents. The rear also receives a slight refresh, with the rear fog lamps now positioned closer to the ground.
The interior gets a major makeover, doing away with physical knobs and buttons, and going with a tech-minimalist approach like many of its rivals. A larger 12.8-inch infotainment screen now sits in the center of the dashboard, and the driver’s dashboard display has been revised as well. The Max’s seats have been revised as well, but the seating capacity has been reduced from 5 to 4.
One of Max’s biggest highlights is its revised powertrain, which features an upgraded 55 kW (74 hp) motor on the front axle. It’s paired with a 28.08 kWh LFP pack from CATL, achieving a CLTC range of 310 km. Curb weight for all Max trims is 1115 kg, and it measures 3725 mm in length, 1700 mm in width, 1608 mm in height, with a 2520 mm wheelbase.
The Max is capable of DC fast charging, with a 30 – 80% charge taking 30 minutes, which is roughly equivalent to 1C charging. Nothing groundbreaking to see here, but its charging performance is in line with similar mini-EVs, and slow DC charging is better than no DC charging at all.
It should be noted that Kaiyi claims the LFP pack can pre-heat in low temperatures, but no information has been given on the battery’s cooling system. Many rival mini-EVs lack liquid cooling systems, and owners may experience severely de-rated DC charge sessions due to high battery temperatures. This phenomenon is also known as “rapidgating”, a term coined by Nissan Leaf owners with air-cooled batteries.
Chassis-wise, McPherson struts are used on the front, and torsion-beam suspension is seen at the rear. All trims are equipped with 15-inch wheels with narrow 165mm tires, typical for the mini-EV class. It joins the bountiful yet lean “A0-class” mini-EV market, alongside bitter rivals like the Wuling Hongguang Mini EV and the Geely Panda Mini. For this class of vehicle, automakers rely on aggressive pricing and “cute” designs to attract buyers, and profits are made from sheer volume, rather than per-vehicle pricing.
More on Kaiyi and the E-Qute 04
Kaiyi used to be called Cowin, a name taken from the Chery Cowin, a refreshed variant of the Chery Fengyun, which itself was based on the first-generation Seat Toledo. Initially established as a Chery sub-brand, Kaiyi focused on financially-limited buyers in rural Chinese regions, and profits were always slim.
Kaiyi was eventually handed off to the municipal government of Yibin, a small rural city in Sichuan province. Chery reduced its stake in Kaiyi, only maintaining an 18% stake in the automaker. The two still share a partnership, though, with Chery re-badging the E-Qute 04 as the QQ Duomi, and Kaiyi re-using the bones of the Tiggo 5x for its X3 Pro EV.
Source: China EV Datatracker
According to China EV Datatracker, Kaiyi only delivered 1,900 units in March 2026, with the E-Qute 04 only taking up 181 units. It’s fair to say that Kaiyi isn’t doing very well in China. The bigger players are slashing prices to keep up in the Chinese price war, and for many cash-strapped buyers, desirable yet previously unattainable cars are slowly becoming a possibility for them.
No-frills automakers like Kaiyi rely on consumers from rural areas and low-tier cities, yet these strongholds are slowly being whittled away. But better days may be ahead for the firm, and Kaiyi is taking a slow and steady pivot away from the domestic Chinese market, setting its sights on buyers further away.
The firm’s preference for small EVs has given it a niche, and Kaiyi now sells cars in over 30 countries. It even has a foothold in developed markets, too, with Kaiyi partnering with the Hong Kong taxi industry, committing up to 5,000 X3 Pro EVs for the city’s fleets.
