Customers in China can already preorder their Aito M6, a fairly large electrified crossover SUV marketed towards the country’s younger and more active audiences. It is available in range-extender hybrid and battery-electric variants with the drive on the front wheels or all four.
In terms of size, the M6 is 4,960 mm (193.8 inches) long, 1,985 mm (77.5 inches) wide and 1,736 mm (67.8 inches) tall with 2,950 mm (115.2 inches) between the axles. As such, it’s quite a big bigger than the M5 coupe-SUV with its 4,785 mm (186.9 inches) of body length and only slightly smaller than the senior M7 model that’s 5,080 mm (198.4 inches) long. We don’t know the minimum trunk size yet, but Aito mentions a spacious 202-liter (7.1-cu.ft.) frunk.
Design-wise, the car is a typical Aito with stacked headlights, a slanted nose and flush door handles. Blue LEDs light up when the driver switches into semi-autonomous mode, and Huawei – which provides the hardware – claims that the autopilot is better than ever thanks to a next-generation LiDAR. Numerous traditional radars and cameras are involved, too.
The interior has five seats with a bench seat in the back. The front panel accommodates a digital dash display and a retractable/swiveling main display. The shelf at the front passenger’s side can be used as such, or you can put some e-ink displays there for reading books, the automaker says. As an alternative, you can mount a regular wide-aspect touchscreen there using magnets built into the shelf.
At the time of writing, the hybrid Aito M6 is only available with two e-motors and AWD. It uses a 1.5-liter gas engine to produce power at 152 PS (150 hp / 112 kW), while the motors handle the actual propulsion with 469 PS (463 hp / 345 kW) of their own. The two available battery packs supply 37 and 53 kWh, with the bigger one OEM-rated at 272 km (169 miles) per charge. A rear-wheel drive version is slated to join the lineup at an unspecified later date.
In turn, the all-electric version makes 309 PS (305 hp / 227 kW) in RWD and 462 PS (456 hp / 340 kW) in AWD guise. The battery yields up to 760 km (472 miles). Available equipment includes air-ride suspension and adaptive shocks.
Prices in China are expected to start from roughly 270,000 Yuan ($39,200) for the hybrid and 290,000 Yuan ($42,100) for the EV when the Aito M6 reaches the showrooms in late spring.
