The Chinese IT corporation has opened its pre-order books for the Aito M9, a crossover SUV destined to become its flagship EV. The company positions it as a direct competitor of other countries’ premium brands, including the Mercedes-Benz GLS and the Range Rover.
According to CarNewsChina, the M9 will be available in hybrid and all-electric variants and cost from 500,000 to 600,000 Yuan (U.S. $70,000–83,500).
The vehicle is 5,230 mm (204.3 in) long, 1,999 mm (78.1 in) wide and 1,800 mm (70.3 in) tall with 3,110 mm (121.5 in) between the axles. It rides on 22-inch wheels and has pixelated Matrix LED headlights capable of displaying animations.
The all-electric version of the M9 has two electric motors rated at 218 PS (215 hp / 160 kW) at the front and 313 PS (309 hp / 230 kW) at the rear. A 97.7-kWh battery pack gives it up to 630 km (391 miles) of range per charge.
As an alternative, customers can get a range-extender hybrid with 224 PS (221 hp / 165 kW) at the front end and 152 PS (150 hp / 112 kW) at the back. A 1.5-liter, 152-PS petrol engine acts as a power generator here, and the battery holds 40 kWh. The all-electric range doesn’t exceed 175 km (108 miles), but firing up the engine should give you plenty of driving time (details pending).
Huawei relegates the production of the SUV to its partner, Seres, which is a part of Sokon Group. Live sales are scheduled to begin next month. We expect to see the interior around the same date, since it has not been revealed yet.
In earlier news, the media in China learned that the Aito M9 was large enough to support three possible seat layouts – with five, six and seven seats. The latter option likely involves two separate seats in the middle row and a bench at the back.
