Aito aims to deliver 3,000 units of the M7 Pro in the first week of launch and over 10,000 units in the first month.
Aito, the new energy vehicle (NEV) brand backed by Chinese tech giant Huawei, has launched new series of its M7 SUV (sport utility vehicle) to compete with Li Auto's (NASDAQ: LI) Li L8.
Aito rolled out the M7 Pro series at a launch event today, with a starting price of RMB 249,800 ($35,080), which is RMB 40,000, or 13.8 percent, less than the RMB 289,800 previously available entry-level version of the model.
Aito is a premium car brand launched by Seres with Huawei on December 2, 2021, and has already released models including the Aito M5, Aito M7, and Aito M9, with the M7 available only in extended-range electric vehicle (EREV) variants, while the M5 and M9 both offer additional battery electric vehicle (BEV) variants.
The Aito M7 was initially released on July 4, 2022. Huawei launched the updated M7 on September 12, 2023, and saw sales of the model explode in the following months.
Aito launched the Ultra series for the M7 SUV on May 31, using 192-channel LiDAR from Huawei on the smart driving system and not continuing the previously available Plus and Max series.
The M7 Pro shares the same dimensions as the M7 Ultra, with length, width and height of 5,020 mm, 1,945 mm and 1,760 mm respectively, and a wheelbase of 2,820 mm.
These dimensions are similar to those of the Li Auto's Li L8, which measures 5,080 mm in length, 1,995 mm in width and 1,800 mm in height, and has a wheelbase of 3,005 mm.
Compared to the M7 Ultra, the M7 Pro removes the LiDAR from the roof and gets a weaker driver assistance system, Huawei ADS SE, which supports intelligent driving on highways rather than in urban areas.
The M7 Pro is available in five-seat and six-seat versions, while the Li L8 is only available in a six-seat version.
The M7 Pro starts at RMB 249,800 and RMB 269,800 for the five-seat version and RMB 269,800 and RMB 289,800 for the six-seat version.
Both the five-seat and six-seat versions of the model include a rear-wheel-drive version and a four-wheel-drive version, and accelerate from 0-100 kilometers per hour in 8.2 seconds and 5.2 seconds, respectively.
The model is powered by a lithium iron phosphate (Li-FePO4) battery pack from CATL with a capacity of 38.5 kWh, which gives it a CLTC battery range of 230 km for the rear-wheel drive version and 200 km for the four-wheel drive version. It has a combined range of more than 1,200 kilometers on a full tank of fuel and a full charge.
Aito is targeting to deliver 3,000 units of the M7 Pro in the first week of its launch and more than 10,000 units in the first month of its launch, according to Seres president He Liyang.
($1 = RMB 7.1201)
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