- The Aito M8 BEV has a pre-sales starting price of RMB 378,000 ($52,780) and is expected to compete with models including the Onvo L90 and Li i8.
- The Aito M8 EREV was launched on April 16 with a starting price of RMB 359,800.
Huawei-backed Aito has started pre-sales of the battery electric vehicle (BEV) variant of its M8 SUV (sport utility vehicle) ahead of its August launch.
The tech giant's HIMA (Harmony Intelligent Mobility Alliance) business announced today on Weibo that the Aito M8 BEV is now accepting pre-orders, with a starting price of RMB 378,000 ($52,780).
The Aito M8 BEV will be officially launched in August, and customers who pay a deposit of RMB 5,000 to reserve the model will receive a RMB 5,000 discount and a free purple exterior worth RMB 8,000, HIMA said.
Aito, a joint automotive brand between Huawei and Seres Group, launched the M8 large SUV on April 16, initially offering only extended-range electric vehicle (EREV) variants with a starting price of RMB 359,800.
On July 15, Aito announced that it would launch BEV variants of the M8 in August, offering five-seat and six-seat versions, just like the EREV variants.
The Aito M8 BEV has a length, width, and height of 5,190 mm, 1,999 mm, and 1,795 mm, respectively, with a wheelbase of 3,105 mm, the same as the EREV variants.
These BEV variants will be built on Huawei's 800-volt high-voltage platform and come standard with a 100-kWh battery pack from CATL, offering a CLTC range of up to 705 kilometers, Aito said on July 15.
The Aito M8 BEV is also equipped with Huawei's 192-channel LiDAR, one rear-facing high-precision solid-state LiDAR, and five 4D millimeter-wave radars, supporting active safety, smart driving assistance, and intelligent parking assistance.
Aito said that the Aito M8 BEV will feature an extra-large frunk, which is also one of the main selling points of Nio (NYSE: NIO) sub-brand Onvo's L90.
On July 23, Richard Yu, executive director and chairman of Huawei's consumer business group, said on Weibo that the Aito M8 BEV will debut the industry's first Huawei DriveONE seven-in-one electric drive with dual redundant power supply.
The electric drive can save 30 percent of the cabin and trunk space and support safety redundancy for higher levels of assisted driving, Yu said.
The M8 is Aito's fourth model, with other models including the Aito M5, Aito M7, and Aito M9. The Aito M7 is only available as EREV variants, while the Aito M5 and Aito M9 are available in both EREV and BEV variants.
Prior to the launch of the Aito M8 BEV, Li Auto (NASDAQ: LI) will launch the Li i8 on July 29, its first electric SUV.
The Li i8 measures 5,085 mm in length, 1,960 mm in width, and 1,740 mm in height, with a wheelbase of 3,050 mm. Its expected price range is RMB 350,000 to RMB 400,000, Li Auto previously said.
Onvo will officially launch the L90 electric SUV on July 31, initially available in six-seat variants, with a seven-seat version to follow later.
The Onvo L90 measures 5,145 mm in length, 1,998 mm in width, and 1,786 mm in height, with a wheelbase of 3,110 mm. Its pre-sales price, including the battery pack, is RMB 279,900.
($1 = RMB 7.1624)
