Billion Auto Accused of Withholding Salaries for Two Years

[Corporate Crisis] New EV startup Billion Auto is accused of withholding employee salaries for over two years, with staff revealing a complete operational shutdown in an open letter.

Core Development: Employees Unite to Demand Fulfillment of Five Key Requests

Billion Auto has been withholding salaries since February 2024, stopped social insurance contributions starting October 2025, and halted housing fund payments from May 2025. Over one hundred current and former employees issued a joint open letter accusing management of prolonged unresponsiveness and offering no formal resolution plan.

Key Figures: Duration of Unpaid Wages and Compensation Uncertainty

Although the company proposed severance pay based on the standard "N" and offered negotiated contract terminations, employees question: When will the severance be paid? and Will unpaid wages and social insurance be reimbursed? Given that the company remains in arrears on salaries, social insurance, and expense reimbursements, employee trust has largely eroded.

Strategic Foundation: High-Profile Entry Followed by Cash Flow Collapse

Founded by former Renault CEO Wei-Ming Su, Billion Auto received strategic investments from Dongfeng Motor Corporation and Renault Group, and registered capital reached USD 200 million in 2021. Yet it now faces existential crisis, highlighting the vulnerability of new EV entrants amid a retreat in funding.