Who owns Moto Morini? The ownership chain, Zhongneng Vehicle Group's stake and the 2018 deal
Facts checked Chinese holding 100%
Moto Morini is Chinese-owned. Ownership of the Bologna marque passed to Zhongneng Vehicle Group of Zhejiang, also known as Znen, in the autumn of 2018, and the company has since been rebuilt around the X-Cape and Seiemmezzo. Its headquarters moved from Casalecchio di Reno to Trivolzio in 2014.
Zhongneng Vehicle Group took 100% of Moto Morini from Ruggeromassimo Jannuzzelli for EUR10 million with effect from 12 October 2018, undertaking to keep production and plants in Italy.
The short answer
| Controlled by | Zhongneng Vehicle Group |
|---|---|
| Stake | 100% |
| Since | 12 October 2018 |
| Kind | brand |
| Origin | IT |
| Name in Chinese | 莫里尼 “maw-lee-NEE” |
| Top of the chain | Chen Huaneng |
| Is it Chinese? | Yes |
The chain, step by step
Chen Huaneng controls Zhongneng Vehicle Group since 1988.
Chen Huaneng founded Zhongneng Vehicle Group in 1988 and is described as its owner in coverage of the Moto Morini purchase. No percentage was published in the sources we read.
Zhongneng Vehicle Group owns Moto Morini at 100% since 12 October 2018.
Zhongneng Vehicle Group took 100% of Moto Morini from Ruggeromassimo Jannuzzelli for EUR10 million with effect from 12 October 2018, undertaking to keep production and plants in Italy.
| Holder | Holds | Kind | Stake | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chen Huaneng | Zhongneng Vehicle Group | controls | controls | 1988 |
| Zhongneng Vehicle Group | Moto Morini | owns | 100% | 12 October 2018 |
Other recorded holdings in Moto Morini
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zhongneng Vehicle Group | controls | controls | 2018 | Ownership of Moto Morini passed to the Zhejiang scooter maker Zhongneng Vehicle Group (Znen) in the autumn of 2018. The size of the holding was not published. |
Moto Morini: questions people ask
- Who owns Moto Morini?
- Zhongneng Vehicle Group of Taizhou, Zhejiang, which bought 100% of the company for EUR10 million with effect from 12 October 2018.
- Are Moto Morini motorcycles made in China?
- Assembly has remained in Italy, at Trivolzio near Pavia, under an undertaking the Chinese buyer gave at the time of the purchase. Many components are Chinese.
- Is Moto Morini sold in the United States?
- Yes. The brand entered the US market in January 2023 and has been expanding its dealer network since.
- How old is Moto Morini?
- It was founded in 1937 in Bologna, and is one of the oldest Italian motorcycle names still trading.
Related
Sources for Moto Morini
- Wikipedia, Moto Morini. Read .
- MSL Magazine, How I sold Moto Morini to China's Zhongneng - Q&A with Jannuzzelli. Read .
- Powersports Business, Moto Morini U.S. sales surge 82% as 2026 models hit showrooms. Read .
- Powersports Business, Moto Morini launches 2027 X-Cape 1200 adventure motorcycle, priced at US$12,999. Read .
- Motorcycle.com, MO Interview: Moto Morini's Alberto Monni. Read .
- Wikipedia, Znen. Read .