HONGQI Norge

What HONGQI Norge does

HONGQI Norge is the Norwegian sales and distribution operation for the HONGQI luxury electric vehicle brand, legally operated as HBI Norge AS — a subsidiary of Motor Gruppen AS, a Norwegian automotive importer with roots dating to 1909 and over 50 years of importer experience. The entity was established in 2022, making Norway the first European market for HONGQI, and it was reorganized/launched commercially in 2020–2023. Operating with a lean 5-person team in Oslo, HONGQI Norge sells exclusively through a network of 31 authorized dealers across Norway, combining the Motor Forum dealership chain with independent partners.

The sole product is the HONGQI EHS5, a fully electric mid-size SUV built on an LFP battery platform with up to 522 km WLTP range, intelligent all-wheel drive, 563 HP combined output, and 265 kW peak fast charging (10–80% in approximately 20 minutes). The vehicle is winter-optimized for Norwegian conditions, incorporating a heat pump and battery pre-conditioning, and carries a 5-star Euro NCAP safety rating and an 8-year warranty. The starting price is 439,900 NOK, positioning it against European premium EV competitors on a price-to-specification basis.

The business model is a one-time vehicle sales model via the dealer network (sales-led GTM). Marketing leverage comes from dealer-led test drives, an online configurator, earned media coverage (TV2 Broom), and newsletter/email campaigns. HONGQI is owned by FAW (First Automobile Works), one of China's largest state-owned automakers, which has produced the HONGQI brand since 1958 originally for Chinese government officials. KOL-tier technology partners include Dynaudio (premium audio), and the brand's European ambition is supported by a parent-level partnership with Volkswagen and Audi for the Chinese domestic market. HONGQI exports to over 20 countries globally, with Norway as the first European beachhead.

Name

HONGQI Norge

Legal name

HBI Norge AS

Website

https://hongqinorge.no

Company type

Private

Founded year

2022

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

HONGQI Norge imports and distributes HONGQI luxury electric vehicles in Norway via HBI Norge AS, a subsidiary of Motor Gruppen AS. Through a 31-dealer network, it sells the EHS5 electric SUV to premium Norwegian family car buyers seeking winter-optimized EVs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Electric Vehicles

NAICS

Motor Vehicle Manufacturing (3361)

SIC

Wholesale-Motor Vehicles & Motor Vehicle Parts & Supplies (5010)

akta.pro primary industry

Light Electric Vehicles (NEVs/LSEVs/Quadricycles) Manufacturing (IMACAOAC)

Keywords

• Luxury electric vehicles
• Electric SUV distribution
• Automotive import services
• Premium car dealership
• Chinese brand vehicles

Headquarters

HQ city

Oslo

HQ country

Norway

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Vehicle Sales: One-time purchase revenue from electric vehicle sales through dealer network across Norway. Vehicles sold with 8-year warranty.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

HONGQI Norge imports and distributes the HONGQI EHS5, a fully electric luxury SUV, through a network of 31 authorized dealers across Norway. The company operates as HBI Norge AS, a subsidiary of Motor Gruppen AS, serving as the official Norwegian importer of the HONGQI brand with vehicles featuring winter-optimized LFP batteries, intelligent all-wheel drive, and premium interior amenities.

Product overview

HONGQI Norge offers a portfolio of luxury electric vehicles imported to Norway by HBI Norge AS, a subsidiary of Motor Gruppen AS. The primary product is the HONGQI EHS5, a fully electric SUV with intelligent all-wheel drive, designed for the Norwegian market with features optimized for cold weather conditions including an LFP battery, heat pump, and battery pre-conditioning. The EHS5 represents HONGQI's flagship export model, positioned as a premium family vehicle competing in the luxury EV segment.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• HONGQI EHS5 (Exclusive 4WD trim) The HONGQI EHS5 is a fully electric luxury SUV featuring intelligent all-wheel drive, an 85 kWh LFP battery with up to 522 km WLTP range, ultra-fast charging (10-80% in approximately 20 minutes at up to 265 kW), and 563 HP combined output. The Exclusive 4WD trim includes 20" alloy wheels, Head-Up Display, massaging/ventilated/heated front seats, Queen Seat passenger seat, heated rear seats, 48L frunk, artificial leather seats, electric tailgate, 2.16 m² panoramic glass roof, 14-speaker Dynaudio premium audio, and Apple CarPlay/Android Auto integration. Targeting Norwegian families and premium EV buyers, the vehicle starts at 439,900 NOK including delivery to dealer and comes with an 8-year warranty and 5-star Euro NCAP safety rating.

Quantifiable outcome

• 10-80% charging in approximately 20 minutes at up to 265 kW
• +4 more outcomes

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• FAW (First Automobile Works)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFAW is the parent Chinese automaker that has produced HONGQI luxury vehicles since 1958. HONGQI is developed and built as FAW's own brand with factories and quality control meeting international standards. FAW also produces vehicles in cooperation with Volkswagen and Audi for the Chinese market.
• Volkswagen AGminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFAW produces cars in cooperation with Volkswagen for the Chinese market. This is an industrial partnership at the parent company level.
• Audi AGminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFAW produces cars in cooperation with Audi for the Chinese market. This is an industrial partnership at the parent company level.
• HBI Norge AScoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHBI Norge AS is the Norwegian importer of HONGQI vehicles, operating as a company within Motor Gruppen AS. Manages all HONGQI brand operations in Norway including dealer network coordination.
• Motor Gruppen AScoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMotor Gruppen is a leading Norwegian automotive company with over 50 years of experience as an importer and roots dating back to 1909. The group manages HBI Norge AS which imports HONGQI, and operates the Motor Forum dealership chain.
• Motor ForumcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMotor Forum is a dealership chain with multiple locations across Norway, part of Motor Gruppen AS. Provides sales and service for HONGQI vehicles through authorized dealers.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• BMW Group: German luxury incumbent whose iX and iX3 compete head-to-head with the EHS5 in the premium family SUV EV segment; sets the residual-value and dealer-service benchmark HONGQI must match.
• Audi AG: German luxury incumbent with Q8 e-tron and Q4 e-tron SUVs in the same segment; notably also an industrial partner of HONGQI's parent FAW for the Chinese market.
• Tesla: Dominant EV incumbent in Norway with Model Y as the benchmark premium family SUV; sets the price, range, and charging-network expectations every new entrant must beat.
• Volvo Cars: Swedish premium incumbent with the EX90 and upcoming EX60 SUVs targeting exactly the same Norwegian family buyer; deep dealer network and strong residual-value brand.
• Mercedes-Benz AG: German luxury incumbent whose EQE SUV and EQS SUV compete directly in the premium family EV SUV segment; defines the upper bound of what HONGQI must position against on perceived luxury.

Emerging players

• XPeng: Chinese EV brand beginning European rollout with smart-EV positioning; comparable as another Chinese OEM working to translate domestic success into Norwegian and European volume.
• NIO: Chinese premium EV brand actively expanding into Europe with Norway among its first markets; directly comparable as a Chinese premium-EV entrant using a localized sales/service model.

Direct peers

• Polestar: Premium Swedish EV brand with Polestar 3 and 4 competing in the same premium family SUV segment; strong Norwegian presence and similar positioning around Scandinavian design and sustainability.
• BYD: Chinese EV manufacturer with rapidly growing Norwegian dealer footprint; most direct cross-border peer competing for the same value-conscious premium EV SUV buyer with the Seal U, Atto 3, and Han.
• MG Motor: SAIC-owned Chinese-origin brand actively selling in Norway with EVs like the MG4 and ZS EV; comparable as another Chinese-affiliated challenger using competitive pricing against European incumbents.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/hongqi-norge

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about HONGQI Norge