- The GH project is seen as a new collaboration approach within Huawei's automotive business unit, according to local media.
- The new brand's first product is slated to be a luxury smart NEV in the RMB 300,000 class, GAC said last month.
The first model of GAC Group's GH project, built with Huawei, is scheduled to hit the market in 2026, local media outlet Cailian said in a February 18 report, citing a GAC insider.
The project is seen within Huawei's automotive business unit as a new collaboration approach that the tech giant will focus on this year, the report said, citing a source close to Huawei.
The two companies initially held discussions based on this new approach, but failed to reach an agreement, and the latest move is the relaunch of the partnership, the person said.
Huawei has three main ways of working with car companies, with the approach of launching a new brand being the one it is most involved in. The approach, initially known as Zhixuan, was upgraded in November 2023 to HIMA (Harmony Intelligent Mobility Alliance).
In the approach where Huawei is least involved, the tech giant only provides components and the HarmonyOS system.
In the middle of the spectrum is the "Huawei Inside" approach, where Huawei provides full-stack smart car solutions, including smart cockpits and smart driving, to automakers.
GAC's electric vehicle (EV) subsidiary, Aion, announced in May 2021 that it planned to partner with Huawei to build a premium brand, with the first model, an SUV (sport utility vehicle) codenamed AH8, to be launched in 2023.
However, on March 27, 2023, GAC said in an announcement that the AH8 was changed to be developed by Aion itself instead of jointly with Huawei.
Last year, GAC restarted its partnership with Huawei, signing a deepening cooperation agreement with Huawei on November 30 to create a new brand for high-end smart NEVs in addition to Trumpchi, Aion and Hyptec.
On January 10, GAC said in a stock exchange announcement that its board of directors had agreed to set up a project company code-named "GH" with a registered capital of RMB 1.5 billion ($200 million).
GAC planned to use GH as a vehicle to jointly define and design vehicles with Huawei, and to cooperate in areas including product development, marketing strategy, and ecological services.
The new brand's first product was slated to be a luxury smart NEV in the RMB 300,000 class, which would bring consumers a more forward-looking and intelligent mobility experience, GAC said in the announcement.
Partnering with Huawei is seen by many legacy carmakers as one of the most important moves to deal with fierce competition, and Aito's success has made local automotive giants more receptive to such collaborations.
Under the HIMA business, Huawei and local automakers have jointly created four new brands -- Aito from Seres Group, Luxeed from Chery, Stelato from BAIC Group, and Maextro from Anhui Jianghuai Automobile Group.
Earlier this month, several media outlets reported that Huawei and SAIC Motor were working together to create a new brand, known in Chinese as Shangjie (尚界), the fifth brand under the HIMA business.
All of Shangjie's models will be sold through HIMA's channels, with the first model starting at around RMB 150,000, according to a February 17 report by Yicai.
($1 = RMB 7.2843)
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