KC Hilites started in 1970 in Pete Brown's garage in Saugus, California, as he was trying to solve the problem of better lighting for his pickup. He started using landing lights from aircraft, modifying them to mount on his truck, but then realized that the way they were mounted would not hold up in the tough environment of off-roading, which was a growing community at that time. Lighting that was available for his truck at that time was disappointing in the desert environment. Pete Brown made a few sets of lights for friends and that was the humble beginning of KC Hilites. He originally worked with neighbors out of his garage; he assembled the lights, built the wiring harnesses and sold the packages to off-roaders and local shops. The KC Daylighter, the original KC Hilites product, became the testing ground of KC's development for years. After noting too many failures because of the extreme vibration experienced within the metal housing during off-road adventures, KC engineered their own patented isolated rubber mount for the Daylighter. After spending much time with GE engineers, they innovated a way to completely encircle the bulb in rubber, which helped to isolate it from the surrounding vibration. KC is the original manufacturer of off-road lighting and was at the forefront of innovations in lighting in the 1970's and 1980's. In the 1990's KC designed the HID (High Intensity Discharge), lighting system, which was based on the same Metal Halide technology used to light giant sports complexes. These days KC Hilites is owned and run by Michael DeHaas, Brown's stepson. KC has produced other innovations under his leadership including the SlimLite and Rally 800 series of lights. KC's participation in motor sports has driven their design, engineering and manufacturing process since the beginning and today that is still the case, as they work with racers to develop high quality, super-bright lighting options. KC has taken advantage of modern technologies like LED and HID to come up with new lighting innovations and will continue this trend well into the future.

Quality is KC Hilites' central theme in all they do. Their lights are built to withstand the rugged off-road environment and last. They use only the finest quality materials and workmanship for the construction of their lights, inside and out. KC reflectors are precisely polished to deliver the brightest possible reflective surface. Bulbs are specifically engineered for each application. Only the best and most durable finishes are used for KC light housings. All stainless steel housings are polished and sealed for beauty that lasts for the long term. Chrome and black housings are triple plated and polished. The black painted housings are rugged enough to stand up under brutal salt spray tests. KC's nylon composite housings are constructed of an extremely durable combination of plastics and resins. Only a total commitment to quality makes it possible for KC to back all of their products with an unheard-of 23-year warranty.