Who owns IM Motors? The ownership chain, SAIC Motor's stake and the 2020 deal
Facts checked Chinese holding 100%
IM Motors is Chinese. It is SAIC's premium electric brand, set up in 2020 with Alibaba and the Shanghai district investment company Zhangjiang Hi-Tech; all three shareholders are Chinese.
SAIC's holding at IM Motors' founding in December 2020. On 23 December 2025 SAIC announced a restructuring that converts part of an indirect holding into a direct one; it stated that its overall stake would be unchanged.
The short answer
| Controlled by | SAIC Motor |
|---|---|
| Stake | 54% |
| Since | December 2020 |
| Kind | brand |
| Origin | CN |
| Name in Chinese | 智己 “JIH-jee” |
| Top of the chain | Shanghai Municipal State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission |
| Is it Chinese? | Yes |
The chain, step by step
Shanghai Municipal State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission controls SAIC Motor since 1995.
The Shanghai municipal state-assets commission is SAIC Motor's ultimate controller, holding its shares through the wholly state-owned parent Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation (Group). Published figures for the parent's holding in the listed company cluster between about 63% and 68%; no figure carrying its own date could be confirmed from an SAIC filing, so the stake is left null.
SAIC Motor owns IM Motors at 54% since December 2020.
SAIC's holding at IM Motors' founding in December 2020. On 23 December 2025 SAIC announced a restructuring that converts part of an indirect holding into a direct one; it stated that its overall stake would be unchanged.
| Holder | Holds | Kind | Stake | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shanghai Municipal State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission | SAIC Motor | controls | controls | 1995 |
| SAIC Motor | IM Motors | owns | 54% | December 2020 |
Other recorded holdings in IM Motors
Holdings that are not control, kept out of the chain above so that nothing on this page reads as ownership when it is not. A joint venture is a company two parents built together: its percentage is a share of the venture, not a holding in the partner. The same pair can appear twice with different kinds, and both rows are real.
| Holder | What it is | Share | Since | What the source says |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alibaba Group Holding Limited | holds a stake in | 18% | December 2020 | Alibaba's holding at IM Motors' founding. Alibaba contributes software and cloud services; it does not build vehicles. |
| Shanghai Zhangjiang Hi-Tech Park Development Co., Ltd. | holds a stake in | 18% | December 2020 | The Shanghai-listed developer of the Zhangjiang science park took 18% at IM Motors' founding, giving the Shanghai state a second route into the company. |
IM Motors: questions people ask
- Who owns IM Motors?
- SAIC Motor is the majority owner, with 54% at the company's founding in December 2020. Alibaba and the Shanghai state science-park company Zhangjiang Hi-Tech each took 18%.
- Does Alibaba make cars?
- No. Alibaba is a minority shareholder in IM Motors and contributes software and cloud services; SAIC engineers and builds the vehicles.
- What does IM stand for?
- The company glosses it as 'Intelligence in Motion'. The Chinese name is 智己 (Zhìjǐ), 'wisdom' and 'self'.
- Where is IM sold outside China?
- Exports began in 2024, starting with Mexico and selected Middle Eastern, South American and Southeast Asian markets, in some places through MG dealers. SAIC has not published a full market list.
Related
Sources for IM Motors
- Wikipedia, IM Motors. Read . Founding date, shareholding, model line, sales series and export markets.
- SAIC Motor, Sales Volume (monthly production and sales report). Read . IM volumes for August 2026 and the year to date.
- Gasgoo, SAIC Motor moves to simplify IM Motors shareholding structure. Read . The 23 December 2025 announcement and the role of the Yuanjie Fund.
- China Daily, SAIC and Alibaba JV to launch first model in March. Read .
- Wikipedia, List of automobile manufacturers of China. Read . IM Motors listed as a SAIC Motor brand.
- SAIC Motor, Company Profile. Read .
- Wikipedia, SAIC Motor. Read . Gives 62.69% for the Shanghai state-assets commission, without a date.