Image: Huawei Central
Huawei on Thursday announced the Aito M5, a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) designed to rival the Tesla Model Y, at the company’s winter product launch event — reports CNBC.
The news comes less than a week after Chinese electric vehicle (EV) startup NIO announced its latest competitor to Tesla, the ET5 mid-sized smart electric sedan.
The Chinese technology giant has previously said that it will not make cars on its own, and is instead dedicating its efforts to developing autonomous self-driving technology. An October report even indicated that Huawei is collaborating with veteran carmaker Volkwagen in that endeavor.
The Aito M5 is actually the fruit of a partnership between Huawei and Silicon Valley-based automaker Seres, also known as SF Motors, a subsidiary of Chinese automobile manufacturer Sokon.
Seres’s Aito M5 will be the first car to come with Huawei’s HarmonyOS Operating System onboard, and will also be the first vehicle to launch under the Aito brand, which stands for “adding intelligence to auto.”
According to Richard Yu, Executive Director and CEO of Huawei’s Consumer Business Group, the Aito M5 will offer peak power and a driving range exceeding that of the Tesla Model Y, while costing less.
Yu added that the Aito M5 will still feel “premium” and won’t compromise on user comfort or ease. With HarmonyOS integration, owners will be able to use one of Huawei’s smartwatches as a car key for the Aito M5, and the car will even feature double-layered sound-proof glass.
“You will know whether it is premium or not by the sound,” Yu said during the announcement, translated from Mandarin. “We are able to offer the ‘library grade’ quality experience.”
The Aito M5 isn’t a purely electric car, and will also include a gas-powered drivetrain for when you need extra range and the battery simply won’t cut it.
Huawei plans to take on the Tesla Model Y big time, especially in terms of price. The Aito M5 starts at 250,000 yuan ($39,063 USD) after subsidies, while the Model Y starts at 280,752 yuan post subsidies. Deliveries are set to begin around Feb. 20, after the Lunar New Year.
