Skyworth Logo

Skyworth Brand Overview

Skyworth Auto is a Chinese electric-vehicle brand based in Nanjing. It began life in 2017 as Skywell New Energy, an EV division set up by Skywell Automobile, the bus and coach maker also known by its Chinese name Kaiwo and best known abroad as the owner of Nanjing Golden Dragon Bus. Skywell Automobile’s largest shareholder is the Skyworth Group, the Shenzhen-founded electronics conglomerate that Huang Hongsheng and Stephen Wong built into one of China’s biggest television makers.

The division’s first car, revealed in October 2020, was sold as the Tianmei ET5 (Tianmei being another name used by the group) and then the Skywell ET5, a compact electric SUV. In April 2021 Skywell Automobile transferred the Skyworth trademarks into the EV business and renamed it Skyworth Auto, separating the passenger-car brand from the Skywell name still used on buses. The ET5 itself was relaunched a few months later, in July 2021, as the Skyworth EV6, though it kept the same body and the same V-shaped grille badge as its Skywell-branded predecessor; only the rear emblem and the taillight lettering changed to read Skyworth.

Skyworth Auto sells its cars from a base in Nanjing and, since it shares ownership with Nanjing Golden Dragon Bus, its vehicles are built alongside that company’s buses and commercial vehicles. Sales have grown from a low base: about 4,088 vehicles in 2021, 21,916 in 2022 and 29,701 in 2023. The lineup has expanded from the original EV6 to include the HT-i plug-in hybrid (2022), the Q crossover, the Panshi and Hongtu commercial models, and the Skyhome, a flagship electric sedan unveiled in November 2023. Abroad, Skyworth cars have been sold under other names, including Elaris Beo in Germany and Imperium in North America.

Skyworth Logo Meaning

The Skyworth Auto emblem is a shield built around the letter W, the initial of Skyworth. Skyworth describes the shield shape as a sign of quality and safety, while the notched, plug-like form of the W is meant to recall a socket or button, a nod to electric power. The mark sits above the brand’s full name, rendered in Latin capitals as SKYWORTH next to the Chinese characters 创维汽车 (Skyworth Auto).

Skyworth Logo History and Evolution

2021–Present: Skyworth Auto Shield

This is the only badge Skyworth Auto has used since the brand took its current name in April 2021. It replaced the Skywell and Tianmei branding that had been fitted to the original ET5 prototype, though the underlying V-shaped grille emblem on the car itself carried over unchanged; it was the wordmark and rear badge that switched to Skyworth. No further redesign has been documented since.

• Design: A shield outline enclosing a stylised letter W, paired with the SKYWORTH wordmark and the Chinese characters 创维汽车
• Colors: Blue on a white or transparent background
• Changes: Replaced the Skywell/Tianmei nameplate used on the pre-production ET5; the grille badge shape stayed the same
• Context: Introduced when Skywell Automobile moved its EV business under the Skyworth trademark to separate it from the Skywell bus brand

Who Owns Skyworth Auto?

Skyworth Auto is a subsidiary of Skywell Automobile (also called Skywell New Energy Automobile Group), the EV arm of Kaiwo/Nanjing Golden Dragon Bus. The Skyworth Group, the consumer-electronics company chaired by Huang Hongsheng, is Skywell Automobile’s largest outside shareholder and licensed its Skyworth name and trademarks to the car business in 2021. The two companies remain legally separate: Skyworth Group still makes televisions and appliances, while Skyworth Auto builds electric cars in Nanjing.

FAQ

What does the Skyworth logo mean?

The badge is a blue shield around a stylised letter W for Skyworth. The shield stands for quality and safety, and the notched shape of the W is meant to evoke an electrical plug or button, referencing the brand’s focus on electric vehicles.

Is Skyworth the same company as the TV brand?

No, not exactly. Skyworth Auto is a separate car company, but it is closely tied to the Skyworth Group electronics conglomerate, which is a major shareholder in Skyworth Auto’s parent, Skywell Automobile, and which licensed the Skyworth name to the car business in 2021.

Who founded Skyworth Auto?

Skyworth Auto was founded in 2017 as Skywell New Energy, an EV division of the bus manufacturer Skywell Automobile (Nanjing Golden Dragon Bus). It took the Skyworth name in April 2021.

Why did the brand change its name from Skywell to Skyworth?

Skywell Automobile built buses under the Skywell/Kaiwo name and wanted a distinct identity for its new passenger-car business. In April 2021 it transferred the Skyworth trademarks from its shareholder, the Skyworth Group, into the car division and renamed it Skyworth Auto so the two lines would not be confused.

What was Skyworth’s first car?

The brand’s first model was revealed in October 2020 as the Tianmei/Skywell ET5, a compact electric SUV. After the April 2021 rebrand it went on sale as the Skyworth EV6, using the same body and grille badge as the earlier car.