(Yicai) Dec. 16 -- Jiyue Auto’s co-founders Baidu and Zhejiang Geely Holding Group have pledged to ensure the continuity of the struggling Chinese electric vehicle brand’s autonomous driving systems and after-sales services.

“We have initiated actions to ensure the stability of Jiyue’s self-driving and map navigation system,” Wang Yunpeng, vice president of Baidu and head of the Beijing-based firm’s intelligent driving group, said on Dec. 14. “Jiyue car owners can rest assured.”

Geely will take concrete steps to ensure the normal use of Jiyue cars and after-sales service, Senior VP Yang Xueliang said the same day. Their lifetime warranty remains valid, while after-sales services will be handed by Geely’s premium EV brand Lynk & Co, he said.

Geely will set up a dedicated team to maintain Jiyue cars’ software updates, integrate their server operations into its infrastructure, and incorporate Jiyue’s engineers into its team to improve the quality of support, Yang noted.

Jiyue Auto has dismissed several departments, suspended employees’ social security payments for November, and delayed salaries for December, Chief Executive Officer Xia Yiping said in a video sent to all staff on Dec. 11.

In the previous days, insiders at Jiyue had leaked information about its owners having decided to halt investments and about the company closing its finished vehicle business. Jiyue had earlier rebutted online rumors about mass layoffs and executive resignations, claiming it was operating normally.

Jiyue sold just 1,171 cars a month on average between December last year and November this year, for a total of 14,055. In comparison, rivals Li Auto, Xpeng Motor, and Xiaomi Auto delivered 48,700, 30,900, and over 20,000 autos, respectively, last month alone.

On Dec. 13, Baidu and Geely said in a joint statement that they would actively assist Jiyue’s management team in addressing issues, including prioritizing social security payments for employees, compensating departing staff, ensuring the normal use of Jiyue cars, and providing after-sales and maintenance services.

Jiyue was founded in March 2021, with Baidu holding a 45 percent stake and Hangzhou-based Geely the rest. In August, Baidu cut its stake to 35 percent.

In 2022, Jiyue raised nearly USD400 million in a Series A fundraiser from the pair. The EV brand released its first concept car, the Jiyue Robo-01, in June of that year and renamed it Jiyue 01 last October. Its only other model on the market is the Jiyue 07.

Editor: Futura Costaglione