On April 20, Zeng Qinglin, general manager of the Epicland brand, announced on social media that its first flagship model has been officially named Epicland X9. As the first model jointly defined and developed by Dongfeng Motor and Huawei, the Epicland X9 has targeted the “9-series” large SUV segment from the outset. Zeng Qinglin, general manager of the Epicland brand, announced its first flagship model has been officially named Epicland X9. According to the plan, the X9 will make its debut at the Huawei Qiankun Ecosystem Technology Conference on April 23, followed by a global showcase at the Beijing Auto Show on April 24. The Epicland brand itself is relatively new. In November 2025, Dongfeng and Huawei jointly launched the mid-to-high-end intelligent vehicle brand, with the first engineering prototype rolling off the line in December of the same year. Similar to GAC’s Aistaland and SAIC-GM-Wuling’s Baojun Huajing, Epicland is part of Huawei’s “Jing” series of brands, positioned in the mid-to-high-end segment with a strong emphasis on intelligent capabilities. Aistaland GT7 From a product standpoint, the Epicland X9 is a full-size six-seat SUV. Available information indicates a vehicle length of 5.3 meters and a wheelbase of 3.1 meters, placing it directly in competition with mainstream large new energy SUVs. On the technology side, the X9 will be among the first to adopt Huawei’s latest full-stack solution, including the next-generation Qiankun intelligent driving system, the new HarmonyOS cockpit, and an 896-line dual-path image-grade LiDAR system. Cooperation between Dongfeng and Huawei dates back to 2018, when the two parties first signed a strategic agreement focusing on intelligent connectivity and electrification. Epicland X9 In the years since, the partnership has deepened, leading to the launch of large SUV models such as the M-Hero M817 and Voyah Taishan. From a market perspective, large new energy SUVs are emerging as a new competitive focal point. Over the past two years, growth in the above-RMB 400,000 ($58,000) segment has been driven by larger, higher-specification vehicles. Market data reflect this trend. Represented by the NIO ES8, it recorded 16,255 retail units in March, maintaining the top position in both the large SUV segment and the above-RMB 400,000 ($58,000) category for four consecutive months. The success of such models is prompting more automakers to intensify their focus on this segment.