- The Aito M8 secured more than 20,000 orders in the first hour after its launch.
- Its deliveries are set to begin on April 20.
Huawei-backed Aito has rolled out the Aito M8 SUV (sport utility vehicle), the latest model in China to target the family market.
Huawei's HIMA (Harmony Intelligent Mobility Alliance) business officially launched the model at an event today, with a starting price of RMB 359,800 ($49,250).
Aito is offering six variants of the model, all of which are extended-range electric vehicle (EREV) models.
This includes three trim options -- Max, Max+, and Ultra -- each offering five- and six-seat variants.
The starting prices for the five-seat versions of the Aito M8 are RMB 359,800, RMB 379,800 and RMB 429,800 respectively. The six-seat versions start at RMB 369,800, RMB 399,800 and RMB 449,800 respectively.
The starting price is RMB 8,200 lower than its pre-sales starting price of RMB 368,000 announced on March 6.
The Aito M8 has a length, width and height of 5,190 mm, 1,999 mm and 1,795 mm, respectively, and a wheelbase of 3,105 mm.
It has an engine with a displacement of 1.5 L as a range extender, which produces a maximum power of 118 kW.
The Aito M8's front electric motor produces a maximum power of 165 kW, and the rear electric motor produces a maximum power of 227 kW. The model supports a top speed of 200 kilometers per hour.
It has two options for battery pack capacity -- 52 kWh and 36 kWh -- and three options for battery range -- 235 km, 240 km and 161 km.
The model has a combined range of up to 1,526 kilometers when fully fueled and charged.
It is equipped with Huawei's driver assistance system, with hardware that includes a 192-channel roof LiDAR, a solid-state LiDAR, and three 4D millimeter-wave radars.
Deliveries of the Aito M8 are set to begin on April 20.
Shortly after the official launch, HIMA said the Aito M8 received more than 8,000 firm orders in eight minutes and more than 20,000 orders in the first hour.
The Aito M8 is expected to compete with Li Auto's (NASDAQ: LI) Li L8 EREV, which is currently offered in three variants starting at RMB 321,800, RMB 349,800, and RMB 379,800 respectively.
Aito is a premium new energy vehicle (NEV) brand jointly launched by Huawei and Seres Group on December 2, 2021 and is the first auto brand under the HIMA business.
Other models currently on sale under the brand include the Aito M5, Aito M7, and Aito M9, with the Aito M7 being offered only in EREV options, while both the Aito M5 and Aito M9 are offered in both EREV and battery electric vehicle (BEV) variants.
($1 = RMB 7.3063)
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