Staff members conduct a pre-race inspection on the two competing motorcycles of ZXMOTO before the World Supersport (WorldSSP) category at the Portuguese round of the Superbike World Championship (WSBK) at the Portimao Circuit in Portugal, March 27, 2026. (Photo/Xinhua)

Chongqing - French motorcycle champion Valentin Debise met ZXMOTO founder Zhang Xue in Chongqing on August 16, joining him for a ride and praising their shared determination. Debise thanked Zhang for his trust and said he plans to return to China and learn basic Chinese to connect with fans.

Debise, who races for Chongqing-based ZXMOTO, made his first trip to China from August 12 to 16, visiting Nanchang, Shanghai, Hangzhou, Chengdu and Chongqing as the emerging brand gained growing attention. Fans gathered throughout the five-city tour to welcome him and wish him another title.

“My impression of Chongqing was very good,” Debise told Chongqing Television. “I only can recommend to people to come visit China, the city is very clean, very big and very impressive.”

Sequoia China backs ZXMOTO at 6 billion yuan valuation

A few days ago, Sequoia China, an early backer of ByteDance and Shein, reportedly made an exclusive investment of about 150 million yuan (about 22.1 million U.S. dollars) in ZXMOTO.

The latest funding values ZXMOTO at six billion yuan, marking its third major valuation jump in less than two years. The premium motorcycle maker raised 100 million yuan in an angel round in July 2024, followed by a 1.09 billion yuan Series A round in January 2026.

ZXMOTO has also delivered a strong 2026 racing season. Debise has claimed six WorldSSP victories in the World Superbike Championship, building on his breakthrough in Portugal in March with further wins in Hungary, the Czech Republic and Italy. His record-setting performances have also put the ZXMOTO 820RR-RS firmly in the spotlight.

Admittedly, not everyone handles the 820RR-RS as well as Debise does, but ZXMOTO's product line spans multiple displacement segments, from 500cc to 800cc, covering commuting, leisure riding, and competitive use. The planned 500,000‑unit annual capacity would be put to full use for a solid domestic commercial foundation.

ZXMOTO reached another milestone in its global expansion on August 12, when TÜV Rheinland awarded Whole Vehicle Type Approval to its 500RR model. The certification clears the motorcycle for sale in the EU and other markets that recognize the standard, opening the way for larger-scale exports.

Debise chose ZXMOTO because he saw the potential in ZXMOTO. On April 1, in an exclusive interview with Bridging News, he said: “I rate the bike a 10 out of 10,” and "whatever I am driving, you can get it on the market."

Su Kai, the Sequoia China partner who led this investment, said: “What truly moved us is Zhang’s almost obsessive dedication to the product. His long‑standing passion for motorcycles and racing means he understands users deeply and is willing to invest for the long term. We believe that world‑class products are often born from an uncompromising pursuit of excellence.”

Zhang recognized that Sequoia China’s entry adds a partner for the "long haul," noting that it would help the brand continue its internationalisation.

ZXMOTO taps Chongqing supply chain for growth

ZXMOTO is the first complete‑vehicle enterprise to emerge under Chongqing’s premium motorcycle strategy. 

In 2024, the municipality issued an action plan for the premium motorcycle Industry Cluster from 2023 to 2027, targeting a total industrial output value of 140 billion yuan by 2027. In 2025, the industry’s output value already exceeded 100 billion yuan for the first time, and motorcycle production ranked first among all Chinese cities.

As one of the core areas designated in the plan, Chongqing's Liangjiang New Area has been rooting for ZXMOTO. Immediately after the team’s WSBK WorldSSP victory in March, Liangjiang New Area announced plans for ZXMOTO's new production base, for which the brand quickly secured the land plot in June.

Beyond space, Chongqing’s motorcycle cluster offers supply‑chain support and talent, the ecosystem that drew Zhang Xue to pursue his dream here years ago. The local sourcing rate for fuel‑powered motorcycles exceeds 80%, which means brands like ZXMOTO, Kove Moto, and VOGE, among others, can put track‑proven technology and new designs into mass production at lower cost and greater speed.

In July, a state-owned engineering firm, CMCU Engineering Co. Ltd., and ZXMOTO signed a cooperation agreement to build a new R&D and production base with an annual capacity of 500,000 units. 

The facility will combine intelligent manufacturing with a premium showroom, and the base is designed to accommodate upgrades for the next decade. CMCU Engineering said that it would assemble an expert team to tailor the park for ZXMOTO.

Currently, ZXMOTO's existing annual capacity of 20,000 units is running at full load. In June alone, monthly production exceeded 10,000 units. ZXMOTO achieved revenue of RMB 670 million last year, while this year’s full‑year revenue is expected to fall in the RMB 2.5‑3.0 billion range.

Sequoia China came at the right time, providing funding for the expansion. After the project is completed and operational, overall capacity is projected to increase by three to five times.