Aito M8 goes on sale... It has a range of 705 kilometers

Huawei-backed Aito will intensify competition in the pure electric SUV market by launching battery electric vehicle (BEV) variants of its M8 SUV (sport utility vehicle) in August. Aito, the automotive brand jointly developed by Huawei and Seres Group, announced today the plan, following the launch of Li Auto’s Li i8 on July 29 and Nio’s sub-brand Onvo’s L90 at the end of this month. Aito unveiled the M8 in the mid- to large-size SUV class on April 16. The vehicle, the brand’s fourth model, was initially offered only in long-range electric vehicle (EREV) variants with a starting price of RMB 359,800 ($50,150). The BEV versions of the Aito M8 will offer both five- and six-seat configurations, similar to the EREV versions. Its dimensions are 5190 mm long, 1999 mm wide, and 1795 mm high, and it will have a 3105 mm wheelbase, the same as the EREV versions. IT WILL HAVE A 705 KILOMETRE RANGE Aito announced today that these BEV variants will be built on Huawei’s Giant Whale 800-volt high-voltage platform, feature a 100 kWh battery pack from CATL, and have a CLTC range of up to 705 kilometers. The Aito M8 BEV, which will be equipped with radars, also features Huawei’s 192-channel main LiDAR, one rear-facing high-precision solid-state LiDAR, and five 4D millimeter-wave radars that support active safety, intelligent driving assistance, and intelligent parking assistance. Aito said that these BEV variants will be equipped with an extra-large trunk, one of the main selling points of the Onvo L90. The Aito M8 EREV has received positive feedback since its launch in April. Huawei’s HIMA (Harmony Intelligent Mobility Alliance) unit announced on May 21 that total firm orders for the Aito M8 have exceeded 80,000 units, 34 days after its launch. Richard Yu, Huawei’s Executive Director and President of the Consumer Business Group, said on Weibo today that more than 20,000 units of the Aito M8 were delivered in June, making it the sales champion in the 400,000 yuan-class segment. IT WILL HAVE ULTRA LONG RANGE Yu said that the ultra-long-range fully electric versions of the Aito M8 will be launched in August, and that they will provide an additional option for family users by offering trunk volume, better silence and lower ownership costs. The Aito M8 EREV offers two different battery capacities, 52 kWh and 36 kWh, and three different battery ranges, 235 km, 240 km and 161 km. With a full fuel and a full charge, the model reaches a total range of up to 1,526 kilometers. PRE-SALES BEGIN Before the launch of the Aito M8 BEV, Li Auto will launch its first electric SUV, the Li i8, on July 29, and pre-sales will start on July 17. Onvo will officially launch the L90 at the end of this month. The all-electric large SUV began pre-sales on July 10 and has a starting price of 279,900 RMB with an 85 kWh battery pack.