HiPhi: owner, models, markets and what the name means
Facts checked United States status as of 4 September 2026
- Electric-native
- restructuring
HiPhi was the luxury electric marque of Human Horizons, a Shanghai company founded in August 2017 by Ding Lei, who had previously run Shanghai GM. The brand was announced on 31 July 2019 with the HiPhi 1 concept. Its cars were expensive and elaborate: the HiPhi X crossover, launched in September 2020 with deliveries from 8 May 2021, had doors that opened in several directions at once; the HiPhi Z saloon followed in November 2021 and the smaller HiPhi Y in April 2023.
The money ran out quickly. Showrooms in Chengdu and Guangzhou closed in January 2024 and the research centre was suspended. On 18 February 2024 the company halted all production for six months and cut up to 70% of its staff. Talks with Changan's Avatr division and other possible buyers did not produce a deal, and Human Horizons filed for bankruptcy in early August 2024.
In May 2025 a rescue emerged from an unexpected direction. EV Electra, a company associated with the Lebanese businessman Jihad Mohammad, was reported to be putting US$100m into a new entity, Jiangsu HiPhi Co Ltd, for 69.8% of it, with Human Horizons keeping 30.2%. An environmental assessment was launched at the Yancheng plant, whose 150,000-unit annual capacity was to be kept, customer deposits refunded and former employees recalled at about 20% lower salaries. Whether cars have since been built could not be confirmed for this record.
Built by Human Horizons of Shanghai at Yancheng, Jiangsu. After the 2024 collapse, a new entity, Jiangsu HiPhi Co Ltd, was reported in May 2025 as 69.8% owned by EV Electra of Lebanon and 30.2% by Human Horizons.
HiPhi halted production on 18 February 2024 and Human Horizons filed for bankruptcy in early August 2024 after rescue talks — including with Changan's Avatr — came to nothing. In May 2025 a new company, Jiangsu HiPhi Co Ltd, was established with EV Electra of Lebanon holding 69.8%, and an environmental assessment was launched at the Yancheng plant with a stated plan to restart the original models. Production restart could not be confirmed for this record.
Key facts
| Chinese name | 高合 “gao-HUH” 高 gāo 'high' + 合 hé 'to join, to fit' — a coined brand name |
|---|---|
| Also written | HIPHI and Gaohe |
| Owner | Independent |
| Founded | 2019 |
| Headquarters | Shanghai, China |
| Origin | China |
| First car | HiPhi X, 2021 |
| Vehicles | Cars |
| Segment | Luxury |
| United States | Never sold in the United States — HiPhi has never been sold in the United States. |
| Brand launch | 31 July 2019, with the HiPhi 1 concept; parent Human Horizons founded August 2017 |
| Models | HiPhi X (2020, deliveries from 8 May 2021), HiPhi Z (2021), HiPhi Y (2023), HiPhi A (2023) |
| Production halt | All production stopped on 18 February 2024 for six months, with staff cuts of up to 70% |
| Bankruptcy | Human Horizons filed for bankruptcy in early August 2024 after rescue talks failed |
| Rescue | EV Electra reported in May 2025 to be investing US$100m for 69.8% of a new entity, Jiangsu HiPhi Co Ltd, with Human Horizons keeping 30.2% |
| Plant | Yancheng, Jiangsu, with 150,000 units of annual capacity to be retained |
Who owns HiPhi?
EV Electra Ltd owns HiPhi at 69.8% since May 2025.
EV Electra, associated with the Lebanese businessman Jihad Mohammad, was reported in May 2025 to be contributing US$100m for 69.8% of a new entity, Jiangsu HiPhi Co Ltd, with registered capital of about US$143m. This is reported, not confirmed by a filing, and it concerns the new company rather than the original Human Horizons.
Former owners
Holdings that have ended. They are here because the story needs them and are never part of the current tree.
Human Horizons Group Inc. formerly held HiPhi at 100% from 31 July 2019 until May 2025.
Human Horizons launched HiPhi on 31 July 2019 and owned it outright until the 2024 collapse. It halted production on 18 February 2024 and filed for bankruptcy in early August 2024.
| Holder | What it is | Share | Since | What the source says |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Human Horizons Group Inc. | owns | 30.2% | May 2025 | Human Horizons retains the minority of the new Jiangsu HiPhi Co Ltd entity alongside EV Electra's 69.8%, as reported in May 2025. |
The full ownership page for HiPhi · Is HiPhi Chinese?
Where HiPhi is sold
Recorded in 1 market : CN. Where a company publishes only its principal markets, that is a floor and not a complete list.
| Country | Code | Market page |
|---|---|---|
| China | CN | no page yet |
HiPhi: questions people ask
- Is HiPhi still in business?
- Not as it was. Production stopped in February 2024 and parent Human Horizons filed for bankruptcy that August. A new company, Jiangsu HiPhi Co Ltd, was set up in May 2025 with a Lebanese investor holding 69.8% and a plan to restart the original models; a restart could not be confirmed for this record.
- Who owns HiPhi now?
- As reported in May 2025, EV Electra — associated with the Lebanese businessman Jihad Mohammad — holds 69.8% of Jiangsu HiPhi Co Ltd, with the original company, Human Horizons, holding 30.2%.
- What does HiPhi mean?
- It is a coined English name in the manner of 'hi-fi'. The Chinese name is 高合 (Gāohé), 'high' plus 'together'; the parent company is 华人运通, Human Horizons.
- Why did HiPhi fail?
- It sold small numbers of very expensive cars and ran out of funding. Showrooms closed in January 2024, all production stopped that February, rescue talks including with Changan's Avatr came to nothing, and the company filed for bankruptcy in August 2024.
Related
Sources for HiPhi
- Wikipedia, Human Horizons. Read . Founding, brand launch, models, the 2024 crisis timeline and the August 2024 bankruptcy
- CnEVPost, Defunct Chinese EV brand HiPhi reportedly resurrects after change of boss. Read . EV Electra's US$100m for 69.8% of Jiangsu HiPhi, the Yancheng plant and the restart plan
- CnEVPost, HiPhi may have struck restructuring deal with Changan's EV arm Avatr, report says. Read . The 2024 rescue talks that did not complete