Chine
Haima
Haima is a Chinese automaker founded in January 1992 in Haikou, in the island province of Hainan, under the name Hainan Mazda Motor Co., Ltd. It originally began as a joint venture bringing together the provincial government of Hainan and the Japanese automaker Mazda, with the goal of assembling Mazda models for the Chinese market. The name "Haima" is a portmanteau drawn from "Hainan Mazda"; it also means "seahorse" in Chinese, which explains the choice of a maritime symbol in the brand's imagery. During its early years, the company drew heavily on Mazda technology and platforms, which left a lasting mark on its engineering. In 2006, the state-owned FAW group (First Automobile Works) bought out Mazda's stake, making Haima a subsidiary of the conglomerate. Several models nonetheless continued to incorporate Mazda-derived components. In 2021, FAW transferred 49% of the shares to Hainan Development Holdings at no cost, so that the ownership structure shifted back toward the provincial state; Haima remains a state-owned company listed on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange (000572). After a decade of growing sales in the 2000s and 2010s, the automaker went through a serious crisis around 2018-2020, coming close to a stock-market delisting due to a collapse in volumes. Beginning in 2021, management redirected its strategy toward new-energy vehicles (NEVs): battery-electric models, and even an exploration of hydrogen fuel cells, through a technical partnership with Toyota announced in 2023. Between 2018 and 2021, Haima also served as a contract manufacturer (OEM) for XPeng's first electric vehicles. Today, Haima positions itself as a second-tier Chinese automaker, present mainly in emerging markets (Southeast Asia, the Middle East, Latin America). Its presence in North America is essentially nonexistent: the brand is not sold in Canada or the United States, and it has no factory there.
ActiveÉlectrique / hybrideCamion / utilitaireChinoises
History
History of Haima
Haima is a Chinese automaker founded in January 1992 in Haikou, in the island province of Hainan, under the name Hainan Mazda Motor Co., Ltd. It originally began as a joint venture bringing together the provincial government of Hainan and the Japanese automaker Mazda, with the goal of assembling Mazda models for the Chinese market. The name "Haima" is a portmanteau drawn from "Hainan Mazda"; it also means "seahorse" in Chinese, which explains the choice of a maritime symbol in the brand's imagery. During its early years, the company drew heavily on Mazda technology and platforms, which left a lasting mark on its engineering. In 2006, the state-owned FAW group (First Automobile Works) bought out Mazda's stake, making Haima a subsidiary of the conglomerate. Several models nonetheless continued to incorporate Mazda-derived components. In 2021, FAW transferred 49% of the shares to Hainan Development Holdings at no cost, so that the ownership structure shifted back toward the provincial state; Haima remains a state-owned company listed on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange (000572). After a decade of growing sales in the 2000s and 2010s, the automaker went through a serious crisis around 2018-2020, coming close to a stock-market delisting due to a collapse in volumes. Beginning in 2021, management redirected its strategy toward new-energy vehicles (NEVs): battery-electric models, and even an exploration of hydrogen fuel cells, through a technical partnership with Toyota announced in 2023. Between 2018 and 2021, Haima also served as a contract manufacturer (OEM) for XPeng's first electric vehicles. Today, Haima positions itself as a second-tier Chinese automaker, present mainly in emerging markets (Southeast Asia, the Middle East, Latin America). Its presence in North America is essentially nonexistent: the brand is not sold in Canada or the United States, and it has no factory there.
Public founding or origin of Haima.
Technologies
Technologies, innovations and platforms
On the technical side, Haima long capitalized on its Mazda heritage for its gasoline engines and platforms. Its recent internal-combustion lineup relies notably on a 1.6 L "Boost Blue Power" turbocharged four-cylinder with direct injection (TGDI), producing roughly 195 hp, paired with manual, automated-manual, or dual-clutch (DCT) transmissions. Since 2021, the company has bet heavily on electrification: urban battery-electric vehicles (the Aishang/Haima 1 range) and electrified MPVs such as the 7X-E, with fast charging and announced ranges from modest to moderate. Haima is also exploring hydrogen fuel cells, building on a Toyota system and 70 MPa storage. Recent models feature Level 2 driver-assistance systems and onboard connectivity. Gasoline powertrains, notably a 1.6 L TGDI turbocharged four-cylinder of roughly 195 hp, paired with manual, automated-manual, or DCT transmissions. Recent electrified versions (7X-E) with fast charging, platforms derived from Mazda heritage, and Level 2 driver assistance. Small- and medium-displacement gasoline engines, often derived from original Mazda technology, with manual or automatic transmissions. Sedan and city-car platforms with front-wheel drive, with equipment geared toward affordability rather than performance. Battery-electric powertrains for the city cars, with fast charging and modest-to-moderate ranges. Electrified MPVs (7X-E) with fast charging, and a hydrogen fuel-cell version (7X-H) using a Toyota system and 70 MPa storage, with Level 2 driver assistance.
Brand image
Identity, reputation, strengths and weaknesses
Positioning
An affordable Chinese automaker, once linked to Mazda and now oriented toward new-energy vehicles, absent from the North American market.
Reputation
Haima's reputation is mixed. The brand is seen as an affordable option focused on value for the equipment offered, which appeals in emerging markets. Road tests and owner reviews often praise the ride comfort, interior space, and equipment levels, but raise recurring reservations about build quality and long-term reliability, with a few minor repairs reported. With no dealer network or track record in North America, resale value there is undocumented; elsewhere, some used models offer good value for money. Overall, Haima remains a modest-volume brand, without the prestige of the large established automakers.
Strengths
Haima's strengths lie in its affordable positioning and an advantageous value-for-equipment ratio, inherited from a long technical collaboration with Mazda. The brand offers spacious, comfortable family vehicles, and has managed to pivot relatively early toward electrification and even hydrogen. Backed by the Chinese state, it benefits from a stable industrial base and significant assembly capacity.
Points to watch
The limitations are notable. Build quality and long-term reliability raise reservations, with minor repairs reported by owners. The brand remains a modest-volume player, without prestige or strong name recognition. Above all, Haima is completely absent from North America: no dealers, no parts network, and no certification, which makes maintenance and resale difficult in Quebec.
Models
Haima models
Current or active models by market
Production and compatibility
Plants, tires and wheels
Production
Haima operates its main facilities in China, with assembly plants in Haikou (Hainan province, its historical birthplace) and in Zhengzhou (Henan province). Combined production capacity is around 400,000 vehicles per year. The brand has no factory and no assembly line in North America, and does not sell its vehicles there; there is therefore no local production in Canada, Quebec, or the United States. Haima's exports target mainly Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and Latin America. For a Quebec buyer, the supply of parts and factory service therefore remains tied to the Chinese network and to distributors in the markets where the brand is present.
Tires and wheels
Because Haima is not distributed in Quebec, these vehicles are very rare here; the references serve mainly as equivalences. Recent SUVs and MPVs (such as the 7X) commonly run 17- to 19-inch wheels, with tires such as 215/60R17, 215/55R18, or 225/55R19 on the sportier versions. The small electric city cars use more modest diameters. The bolt pattern varies by model and must be checked case by case before any wheel purchase. As with any vehicle driven in Quebec, certified winter tires (mountain-snowflake symbol) are mandatory from December to March; you must then choose equivalent sizes and a compatible bolt pattern.