Huawei-Linked Chinese EVs Gain New Momentum

Chinese EV news this week paints a clear picture of where the industry is heading: smarter premium SUVs, tighter ties between automakers and Huawei, and a broader global market that remains uneven. Avatr has previewed the new 07L, a larger family luxury SUV co-developed with Huawei’s Qiankun team and due to launch in the third quarter, while Seres has formally installed Zhang Zhengping as chairman as the Aito brand continues to expand. At the same time, Japan’s auto market posted only modest growth in May, underlining how Chinese EV makers are pushing ahead at home even as overseas demand conditions remain mixed.

Avatr 07L Signals the Next Step in Huawei-Powered Premium EVs

Avatr chairman Wang Hui has revealed design sketches of the upcoming Avatr 07L, confirming that the model has already appeared in China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) filing list and is scheduled for a Q3 launch. The car was jointly designed by Avatr and Huawei Qiankun, making it another important product in the growing ecosystem of Chinese automakers leveraging Huawei’s software, cockpit, and intelligent driving stack.

Positioned as a mid-to-large family luxury SUV, the 07L grows meaningfully over the current Avatr 07:

• Length: 4,910 mm
• Width: 1,980 mm
• Height: 1,650 mm or 1,670 mm
• Wheelbase: 2,990 mm
• Wheelbase increase vs. current 07: +50 mm
• Length increase vs. current 07: +85 mm

Avatr is also emphasizing practicality, an area where many high-design premium EVs still struggle. According to the filing information, the combined front and rear trunks can hold 12 pieces of 20- to 24-inch luggage, a notable figure for a vehicle still aimed at the luxury segment.

Key design and technology highlights

The 07L retains Avatr’s family styling, but adds several market-relevant touches:

• Semi-hidden door handles
• Roof rails for improved utility
• A full-width rear light bar
• Harmony Intelligent Mobility branding on the B-pillar
• Likely intelligent-driving indicator lights

More importantly, the SUV appears set to become one of the first vehicles equipped with Huawei Qiankun ADS 5, backed by an upgraded 896-line lidar unit mounted on the roof.

That matters because China’s premium EV market is increasingly being defined not just by battery size or acceleration, but by the sophistication of the ADAS and autonomous driving hardware stack. In this context, the 07L is positioned less as a styling refresh and more as a platform for Huawei’s next-generation intelligent driving capabilities.

Powertrain Strategy: BEV, EREV, and Even Triple-Motor Performance

Avatr is taking a broad approach with the 07L, offering both battery-electric (BEV) and extended-range electric vehicle (EREV) versions.

Avatr 07L powertrain details

The standout detail is the inclusion of triple-motor variants in the regulatory filing. On paper, the most powerful versions approach 1,000 horsepower, which would place the 07L among the most extreme high-performance Chinese SUVs in development.

This is a telling product strategy. Chinese premium EV brands are no longer choosing between family usability and halo-car performance. They are increasingly trying to deliver both in one package:

• Long wheelbases for rear-seat comfort
• Large cargo capacity for family buyers
• 800V charging architecture for faster energy replenishment
• EREV options for users still concerned about charging access
• High-output multi-motor trims for brand-building performance credentials

That combination mirrors a broader shift in the Chinese EV market, where luxury buyers now expect vehicles to be tech-forward, spacious, and extremely fast at the same time.

Seres Leadership Change Comes as Aito Builds Scale

In a separate but related development, Seres Automotive has completed a significant management change. Corporate records show that Zhang Xinghai has stepped down as chairman, with Zhang Zhengping taking over the role. Multiple key personnel changes were also recorded.

The move looks less like disruption and more like formalizing an evolving leadership structure. Zhang Zhengping had already appeared publicly on May 29 at the Future Auto Pioneer Conference in the capacity of Seres Automotive chairman, where he outlined the strategy and progress of the Aito brand.

According to Zhang, Aito has gained traction rapidly since partnering with Huawei in 2021. One of the most striking figures is delivery speed:

• 1 million vehicles delivered in just 46 months

He also said Aito has entered the global top 100 automotive brands by value, and notably is the only Chinese brand in the global luxury top 10 referenced in his remarks.

Aito’s premium manufacturing message

Zhang Zhengping highlighted several quality and production themes that are increasingly central to the Chinese premium EV story:

• “Intelligence reshapes luxury” as the core brand philosophy
• 100% automation in key body manufacturing processes at the super factory
• A one-car-one-file traceability system for production records
• Automated and unmanned vehicle testing for cars leaving the platform this year
• Strong performance in energy-saving and new-energy vehicle quality rankings, with low risk levels cited

This messaging is important because Aito is trying to move beyond the image of being simply a Huawei-assisted startup success. It wants to be seen as a full-spectrum premium automaker with software capability, manufacturing discipline, and quality control to match its rapid sales growth.

Seres Sales Show Steady Growth in a Competitive NEV Market

On June 8, Seres told investors that its January-May new energy vehicle sales reached 145,108 units, up 15.14% year on year.

That growth is solid rather than explosive, but in today’s Chinese EV market, that may actually be the more meaningful signal. The domestic market is now crowded with strong rivals including:

• BYD across mainstream and premium price bands
• Li Auto in large family SUVs and EREVs
• NIO in premium EVs and battery swapping
• XPeng in smart EVs and urban NOA-assisted driving
• Zeekr in performance and premium electric vehicles
• Avatr and Aito in the Huawei-linked intelligent vehicle space

In that context, maintaining double-digit growth while scaling a premium brand is a significant achievement. It also reinforces how valuable Huawei’s ecosystem has become for partner brands seeking differentiation in:

• Smart cockpit experiences
• ADAS and autonomous driving features
• Consumer-facing technology branding
• Faster route to market credibility in the premium segment

Comparison: Avatr 07L and the Broader Huawei Auto Ecosystem

While the two stories concern different companies, they point to the same structural trend: Huawei has become one of the most influential enablers in China’s high-end EV space.

The significance here is not just technology supply. Huawei’s role increasingly spans:

• Product definition
• User interface and cockpit integration
• Intelligent driving system branding
• Premium positioning in consumer marketing

That makes it more than a component partner and closer to an ecosystem orchestrator within China’s smart EV market.

Japan’s Modest May Sales Offer a Useful Global Contrast

Outside China, the market picture looks more restrained. Japan recorded 332,997 new vehicle registrations in May, up 2.75% year on year from 324,069 a year earlier.

Breakdown by category:

• Passenger cars: 276,910 units, up 2.75%
• Trucks: 55,168 units, up 2.2%

For the first five months of the year, total new vehicle sales reached 1,960,306 units, versus 1,952,299 in the prior-year period.

Japan market snapshot

The Japanese market is being supported in part by the end of certain environmental-performance taxes at the end of March, but underlying demand remains weak. Reported headwinds include:

• Bank of Japan rate hikes
• Rising living costs
• Soft consumer confidence
• Weak domestic economic growth

Toyota remained the market leader with 622,001 units sold in the first five months, up 2.8%, while Daihatsu continued its rebound to 235,246 units, up more than 11%. By contrast, Suzuki, Honda, and Nissan all posted declines.

Why This Matters

Taken together, these stories show two very different realities in the global auto market.

In China, the premium EV race is accelerating toward a new formula:

• Large SUVs
• Multi-powertrain lineups including BEV and PHEV/EREV formats
• 800V electrical architectures
• Lidar-based driver assistance
• Deep software integration with firms like Huawei

In Japan, by contrast, the broader auto market is still growing only modestly, and imported brands remain a niche at around 5% market share. That contrast highlights why Chinese automakers are investing so heavily in product sophistication at home: the domestic market has become the world’s toughest proving ground for intelligent electric vehicles.

For global observers, Avatr and Aito are worth watching not only as brands, but as case studies in how China’s auto industry is evolving. The next competitive edge is no longer just battery cost or vehicle range. It is the ability to combine:

• Premium industrial design
• Fast-charging EV hardware
• EREV flexibility
• Scalable manufacturing quality
• Branded intelligent driving systems

Forward Look

The next milestone will be the official launch and pricing of the Avatr 07L in the third quarter. Pricing, trim strategy, and the real-world capabilities of Huawei ADS 5 will determine whether the vehicle can meaningfully challenge rivals in China’s crowded premium SUV segment.

At the same time, the chairman transition at Seres suggests the company is entering a new management phase as Aito shifts from early breakout success to sustained, large-scale execution. If Seres can keep sales growing while strengthening manufacturing quality and premium brand equity, Aito may further cement its place among the most important Chinese luxury NEV brands.

The broader takeaway is clear: China’s EV market is moving into a more mature, more technically ambitious era, and Huawei-connected brands are right at the center of it.