Huawei‘s Aito has officially launched pre-sales for the all-electric version of its M8 large SUV, with prices starting from 378,000 yuan (52,000 USD). The new EV is set to officially launch in August, offering early bird incentives including a 5,000 yuan (700 USD) deposit that converts to a 10,000 yuan (1400 USD) discount on the final purchase price, and a limited-time free upgrade to the new Night Violet exterior valued at 8,000 yuan (1,120 USD).

The Aito M8, which also comes in an extended-range electric vehicle (EREV) variant, sees its pure electric counterpart join the lineup with subtle design distinctions.

The M8 EV maintains Aito’s “Kunpeng” design language, but differentiates itself with a newly styled front bumper intake grille, distinct from the EREV model. The dual-lens headlights remain, integrated with air ducts and connected by a chrome strip. These headlights also feature auxiliary driving indicator lights. A 192-line LiDAR sensor is mounted on the roof, and it also has a front trunk.

From the side, the M8 EV introduces new 21-inch blacked-out wheels fitted with Pirelli tires, with multi-spoke wheel options also available. Dimensions remain consistent with the EREV model, measuring 5,190/1,999/1,795 mm in length, width, and height, with a wheelbase of 3,105 mm. Both 5-seat and 6-seat configurations are offered.

The rear design mirrors the EREV, featuring a new ISD intelligent interactive taillight system. Two chrome strips span the body, connecting the upper and lower sections, and auxiliary driving indicator lights are also present. The M8 EV adds a new Night Violet exterior colour and a Truffle Brown interior option.

The Aito M8 EV will be among the first vehicles to feature Huawei Qiankun Intelligent Driving ADS 4, providing intelligent driving assistance and intelligent parking assistance.

A highlight is the debut of Huawei’s high-voltage 7-in-1 electric drive system with dual-path redundant power supply. This system will be available in single-motor rear-wheel drive and dual-motor all-wheel drive configurations. The single-motor variant delivers a maximum power of 227 kW (304 hp), while the dual-motor version boasts 160 kW (215 hp) for the front motor and 227 kW (304 hp) for the rear. All models are equipped with a 100 kWh CATL battery, offering a CLTC range of 705 kilometres, supported by Huawei’s Whale 800V high-voltage battery platform.

Huawei’s high-voltage 7-in-1 “DriveONE ePowertrain”

Richard Yu, Huawei’s Executive Director and CEO of Terminal BG, recently announced on Weibo that the Aito M8 EV will be the first to feature Huawei’s self-developed DriveONE high-voltage 7-in-1 electric drive, which supports dual-path redundant power supply. According to Yu, this system is touted to save 30% of cabin and trunk space, achieve a CLTC efficiency of 92.2%, and provide safety redundancy for higher levels of assisted driving.

The M8 product manager, known as “@WanquFengge” (湾区峰哥), further elaborated on this technology:

1. Redundant power supply for assisted driving:
   • This system is designed to meet the stringent safety requirements of future higher-level assisted driving. In the event of a single point of failure, the power supply will continue to support autonomous driving until the vehicle safely comes to a stop.
   • The entire vehicle features dual A and B power paths, providing dual backup power. This ensures millisecond-level fault isolation for all safety-related components, guaranteeing the absolute safety of the intelligent driving system’s power supply.
2. Efficiency and NVH performance:
   • Huawei’s team utilises multi-round AI optimisation algorithms to achieve optimal motor parameters, minimising sound pressure levels and refining sound quality.
   • With 0.2mm ultra-thin silicon steel sheets, Huawei’s self-developed silicon carbide modules, and magnetic steel bonding technologies contribute to range and performance.

Editor’s comment

Our reader Needles Balloon once commented on the Aito M8 EREV’s sales, stating, “140,000 pre-orders is Xiaomi scale success even without the BEV version.” Indeed, the M8 EREV has achieved sales success, and we await the performance of its pure electric counterpart.