FAW Concern patents electric brand Joyee in Russia

FAW submitted an application to Rospatent to register the Joyee brand under class 12, paving the way for the introduction of the Bestune Joyee line of affordable electric vehicles and hybrids to the Russian market.

Application to Rospatent: what exactly does FAW register

An application for registration of the Joyee trademark, filed on behalf of the head office of the FAW concern in China, has appeared in the open database of the Federal Service for Intellectual Property. The mark is declared under the 12th class of the ICTU, which gives the right to use it for the production and sale of cars and some components in Russia, including individual components and spare parts.

The fact of submitting an application in itself does not mean an immediate start of sales, but it logically fits into FAW’s strategy to expand its presence in the Russian market. Now Bestune models have already been presented in Russia, and Joyee, apparently, can become the “electric wing” of this line, aimed at a young audience and the NEV (New Energy Vehicles) segment.

Joyee in China: electric line of the Bestune sub-brand

In the home market, the Joyee brand (in China - Yueyi) appeared in early 2025 as a separate line of electrified models as part of the FAW Bestune sub-brand. Initially it included two cars:
- compact electric crossover Joyee/Yueyi 03;
- larger hybrid SUV Joyee/Yueyi 07.

Later, they were joined by the mid-size liftback Joyee 08, whose sales in China should start in the summer of 2026. All models are positioned as technologically advanced, yet affordable electric cars and hybrids for a youth audience, with an emphasis on emotional design, spacious interiors and low energy consumption. Thus, the Yueyi 03 has a declared consumption of about 11.8 kWh per 100 km, which is one of the best indicators in its class.

Which Joyee cars could theoretically come to Russia

Based on the current structure of the line, if Joyee officially enters the Russian market, three models look like the main candidates for delivery: the compact electric crossover 03, the hybrid 07 and the larger 08.
- Joyee 03 is a B-class urban electric crossover with front-wheel drive and one electric motor, aimed at everyday use and minimal energy consumption. In China it is sold with several battery options and a claimed range of up to 400–450 km on the local cycle.
- Joyee 07 is a larger hybrid crossover with a 1.5-liter internal combustion engine and a powerful electric motor (up to 168 kW), accelerating the car to 100 km/h in approximately 6.9 seconds. It is designed for families who need efficiency, dynamics, and increased ground clearance.
- Joyee 08 is a mid-size business-class liftback that combines a fastback silhouette with an electrified powertrain; he is seen as a more status model within the line.

For Russian buyers, such cars could become direct alternatives to the Chinese EVs and hybrids that are already appearing here - from BYD and Zeekr crossovers to localized Tenet and Esteo models, especially if FAW relies on competitive prices and adaptation to local conditions (tires, heating, anticorrosive).

There are no official plans for Russia yet, but there are signals

Formally, FAW and Bestune have not yet announced the launch of the Joyee brand in Russia, however, the very filing of the application with Rospatent and early statements around Yueyi 03 indicate that the release scenario is being worked out. Back in March 2025, at the stage of the debut of Yueyi 03 in China, the Russian representative office of Bestune publicly admitted the possibility of expanding the local line to include electric cars and hybrids.

Since then, the Russian market has been changing rapidly: the share of Chinese brands is growing, premium electric brands are becoming more active, and the AGR holding is introducing a new brand Esteo to the market, under which the Exeed models are actually being relaunched and, in the future, hybrids and EVs. Against this background, the appearance of Joyee looks like a logical step in the fight for the segment of affordable, but “technological” electric vehicles.

Esteo, Tenet, Joyee: a new “layer” of Chinese brands

In parallel with the Joyee application, another line of Chinese expansion is being developed at Rospatent: at the end of March, applications were filed to register trademarks of the brand Esteo, a new brand for Russia, and a month later the AGR holding officially presented it. In fact, under the Esteo brand in Russia they will produce the familiar crossovers Exeed LX, TXL and RX, as well as promising hybrids and electric vehicles based on them.

Thus, a new structure of offers is being built on the Russian market:
- local brands (Tenet, Tenet Plus, Jeland, Esteo) for the assembly and sale of Chinese cars with Russian VIN numbers;
- direct Chinese brands, including Bestune and potentially Joyee, for imported and possibly partially localized electric cars and hybrids.

The patenting of Joyee by the FAW concern fits into this trend: the manufacturer in advance occupies a legal “platform” for the brand, which in China has already received its own identity and technical filling, and reserves the opportunity at any time to grow from a potential to a real player in the Russian electric vehicle market.