Lifan (now Qianli Technology): the group, its brands and who controls it
Facts checked
- SSE 601777
Lifan was founded in Chongqing in 1992 by Yin Mingshan and became one of China's best-known motorcycle names before moving into cars. Debt caught up with it: in August 2020 a Chongqing court accepted its bankruptcy reorganisation, and in 2021 a consortium of Chongqing Liangjiang New Area state funds and Geely took control through the court process.
What emerged is a different company. It was renamed Chongqing Qianli Technology and now describes itself around an artificial-intelligence and automotive-software strategy, with Yin Qi, a co-founder of the AI company Megvii, as chairman. Mercedes-Benz Digital Technology took a 3% stake in September 2025. Reported dates for the renaming differ between 2024 and 2025 and we could not confirm the effective date.
The motorcycle business survives. Lifan-branded machines are still made and sold across cruisers, off-road, scooter, touring and electric ranges. The group's electric car interest runs through Livan Automotive, a venture formed in 2022 with Geely in which the Chongqing company holds 55%, aimed at battery-swap vehicles in China and at budget models badged Livan in export markets such as Russia.
Key facts
| Chinese name | 力帆 “lee-FAHN” 力 'strength, power' + 帆 'sail' |
|---|---|
| Legal name | Chongqing Qianli Technology Co., Ltd., formerly Lifan Technology (Group) Co., Ltd. |
| Ownership | Mixed ownership |
| Founded | 1992 by Yin Mingshan |
| Headquarters | Chongqing, Chongqing, China |
| Vehicles | Motorcycles, Cars and Components |
| Listings | SSE 601777 |
| Bankruptcy reorganisation | A Chongqing court accepted the reorganisation on 28 August 2020 |
| New control | Chongqing Liangjiang New Area funds and Geely took controlling stakes through the 2021 court-supervised restructuring |
| Renaming | Now Chongqing Qianli Technology; sources place the change in 2024-2025 and we could not confirm the effective date |
| Mercedes-Benz stake | Mercedes-Benz Digital Technology took about 3% in September 2025 |
| Livan Automotive | 55% held by the Chongqing company, 45% by Geely Qizheng; formed 2022 |
| Motorcycles today | Lifan-branded cruisers, off-road machines, scooters, tourers and electric models remain in production |
Ownership tree
- Lifan (now Qianli Technology) (group)
- Lifan (brand)
Who controls Lifan (now Qianli Technology)?
Chongqing Liangjiang New Area investment funds holds a stake in Lifan (now Qianli Technology) since 2021.
Chongqing Liangjiang New Area state funds took a controlling stake alongside Geely in the 2021 restructuring. Percentages were not verified.
Former owners
Holdings that have ended. They are here because the story needs them and are never part of the current tree.
Yin Mingshan formerly held Lifan (now Qianli Technology) from 1992 until 2021.
Yin Mingshan founded Lifan in 1992 and controlled it until the company's bankruptcy reorganisation, accepted by a Chongqing court in August 2020 and completed in 2021.
| Holder | What it is | Share | Since | What the source says |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Geely Holding | holds a stake in | not published | 2021 | Geely took a controlling interest in Lifan Technology alongside Chongqing Liangjiang New Area state funds through the court-supervised restructuring completed in 2021, held through a Chongqing investment fund. Percentages were not verified. |
Stakes and ventures Lifan (now Qianli Technology) holds
These are holdings that are not outright ownership, so they are not in the tree above. A joint venture is a third company the two parents built together: the percentage is a share of that venture, never a holding in the partner.
| Holding | What it is | Share | Since | What the source says |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Livan | runs a joint venture with | 55% of the joint venture | 2022 | The Chongqing partner in Livan is Lifan Technology, which has since been renamed Chongqing Qianli Technology Co., Ltd. Wikipedia's listing gives it 55% against Geely Qizheng's 45%; the split was reported as even when the venture was set up in 2022 and no primary filing confirming the current figure was read. |
Brands
| Brand | Held | Origin | Founded | Models | Markets |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 力帆Lifan | directly | China | 1992 | 0 | 1 |
Joint ventures
| Venture | Partner | Since | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Livan Automotive | Geely Holding | 2022 | Battery-swap electric car venture: the listed Chongqing company holds 55% and Geely's Geely Qizheng 45%. |
Lifan (now Qianli Technology): questions people ask
- Does Lifan still exist?
- The brand does. The listed company was reorganised through a Chongqing court in 2020-2021 and renamed Chongqing Qianli Technology, but Lifan-badged motorcycles are still built and sold.
- Did Geely buy Lifan?
- Geely took a controlling interest alongside Chongqing state funds through the court-supervised restructuring in 2021, rather than buying the company outright. The exact shareholdings are held through a Chongqing investment fund and we did not verify the percentages.
- What is Livan?
- Livan Automotive is the electric-car venture formed in 2022 between the former Lifan company, which holds 55%, and Geely's Geely Qizheng, which holds 45%. It focuses on battery-swap models in China.
Related
Sources for Lifan (now Qianli Technology)
- Wikipedia, Qianli Technology. Read . Former names, founder, restructuring, chairman, Mercedes-Benz stake.
- China Daily, Chinese automaker Lifan announces public recruitment of investors. Read . The 28 August 2020 court ruling accepting bankruptcy reorganisation.
- Wikipedia, Livan Automotive. Read . 55/45 ownership split and 2022 formation.
- Lifan Motorcycle, Lifan Motorcycle official site. Read . Current Lifan motorcycle ranges.