- Shangjie's first Weibo post revealed that its first model will be an SUV.
- The model is set to be launched in the fall and will have impressive smart driving capabilities, according to Huawei's Richard Yu.
Shangjie, the new automotive brand created by Huawei and SAIC Motor (SHA: 600104), has begun teasing its first electric vehicle (EV) model as the planned fall launch nears.
Shangjie shared a poster on Weibo today, revealing that the model will be an SUV (sport utility vehicle) with LiDAR on the roof.
This is the first content Shangjie has posted since opening its Weibo account at the end of last month.
The model appears to have a short front overhang, and the door handles use a traditional design rather than the hidden door handles commonly found on EV models in China, suggesting it may be an affordable EV.
Richard Yu, Huawei's executive director and chairman of the consumer business group, retweeted the Weibo post and said that the Shangjie model will be launched in the fall and will have impressive smart driving capabilities.
On April 16, Yu officially unveiled the Shangjie brand at Huawei's HIMA (Harmony Intelligent Mobility Alliance) business product launch event, stating that the goal was to launch the first EV model this fall.
Shangjie is the fifth automotive brand under the HIMA umbrella, with the other four being Aito from Seres Group, Luxeed from Chery, Stelato from BAIC Group, and Maextro from Anhui Jianghuai Automobile Group (JAC).
The HIMA business currently has eight models on sale: Aito M5, Aito M7, Aito M8, Aito M9, Luxeed S7, Luxeed R7, Stelato S9, and Maextro S800.
Shangjie's initial investment is RMB 6 billion ($837 million) and will utilize SAIC's most mature production lines, SAIC President Jia Jianxu said in April. In the future, it will have its own dedicated factory, Jia said.
No pricing information is currently available for the Shangjie model, but on February 17, local media outlet Yicai reported that the starting price for the new brand's first model would be about RMB 150,000, making it the most affordable model under the HIMA umbrella.
In addition, spy photos of Shangjie's first model began circulating widely on Weibo today, revealing more details about the vehicle's exterior.
Shangjie's poster on Weibo:
($1 = RMB 7.1668)
