- The Aito M8 will be launched in April as a family-oriented premium SUV.
- Analysts expect the Aito M8 to compete with Li Auto's Li L8, with full-year 2025 sales expected to be about 120,000 units.
Huawei-backed Aito will launch a new model, the Aito M8, next month, intensifying competition in the mid-to-large-size SUV (sport utility vehicle) segment.
Huawei's HIMA (Harmony Intelligent Mobility Alliance) business today announced that the Aito M8, a flagship family-oriented SUV, will be launched in April.
Aito is a premium new energy vehicle (NEV) brand jointly launched by Huawei and Seres Group on December 2, 2021, and is the first automotive brand under the HIMA business.
The brand's current models on sale include the Aito M5, Aito M7, and Aito M9, with the Aito M7 being offered only in extended-range electric vehicle (EREV) variants, while the Aito M5 and Aito M9 are offered in both EREV and battery electric vehicle (BEV) variants.
The Aito M8 entered a regulatory catalog with China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) last month, when Aito filed for only the EREV variant.
The model will be available in 5-seat and 6-seat options, and the exterior design continues the Aito family styling.
It measures 5,190 mm in length, 1,999 mm in width and 1,795 mm in height and has a wheelbase of 3,105 mm, according to its filing.
The Aito M8 has two options for battery pack capacity -- 51.975 kWh and 36.019 kWh- - and three options for battery range -- 235 km, 240 km and 161 km.
The Aito M8 EREV has an engine with a displacement of 1.5 L and a maximum power of 118 kW.
The car is equipped with a front motor with a maximum power of 165 kW and a rear motor with a maximum power of 227 kW, supporting a top speed of 200 km per hour.
On February 27, local media outlet LatePost reported that the Aito M8 would be offered in both EREV and BEV variants.
The Aito M8, which is lower than the Aito M9 in terms of size and specifications, is expected to be priced between RMB 350,000 ($48,170) and RMB 450,000, according to the report.
In a research note earlier today, Deutsche Bank analyst Wang Bin's team said that the Aito M8 could be priced between RMB 330,000 and RMB 470,000, competing with Li Auto's (NASDAQ: LI) Li L8 SUV.
The team expected the Aito M8 to sell about 120,000 units in 2025.
($1 = RMB 7.2661)
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