Chinese media report that Huawei’s Harmony Intelligent Mobility Alliance (HIMA), JAC Group, Stellantis and Maserati are in talks to jointly develop a Maserati-branded electric vehicle. Huawei takes the lead on product definition and core technology. JAC handles co-development and manufacturing. Maserati contributes styling and brand cachet. The four-way structure matches Harmony Intelligent Mobility Alliance’s existing model. Huawei supplies smart car technology. Partner automakers handle production. The alliance currently operates five brands: AITO with Seres, Luxeed with Chery, Stelato with BAIC, Maextro with JAC, and SAIC. Two versions are planned: one for China, one for overseas. China’s model will fall under the Maextro brand – Huawei and JAC’s existing premium EV label. Overseas models will carry the Maserati trident badge. Mass production of the first model is set for the second half of next year. R&D has already begun. Talks kicked off early last year, sources say. A formal agreement has not been signed, but engineering work is moving ahead. Stellantis knows the playbook. In 2023 it took a 21% stake in China’s Leapmotor and formed a joint venture. Leapmotor’s overseas sales surged thanks to Stellantis’s global distribution. In April 2026, Leapmotor registered 4,496 new units in Italy – a 1,300.6% jump year on year – grabbing first place in the pure-electric market. Now Stellantis doubles down. The Huawei-JAC tie-up aims to fix two of Maserati’s biggest wounds: lagging electrification and weak smart features. It also deepens Stellantis’ push into China’s premium EV segment. Huawei’s premium car-making venture has seen resounding success with Maextro. The Maextro S800, targeting the 700K–1000K RMB ($103K–$147K) luxury segment, has sold 16K units since its launch and now leads sales in the premium luxury new energy niche. Maextro S800 Maserati’s own numbers tell a grim story. In 2017, the brand sold 14,400 cars in China. By 2024, that fell to 1,228. In the first nine months of 2025, just 1,023 units. In China’s market, Maserati’s Grecale SUV carries an official guide price of nearly 900K RMB ($132.6K), with terminal discounts now falling below 350K RMB ($51.6K) as the brand’s premium continues to erode. Maserati’s Grecale SUV Maserati struggles in the era of electrification and intelligence. It has failed in its electrification transition. Its intelligent driving experience lags behind competitors. Stellantis’s partnership with Huawei and JAC validates the Harmony Intelligent Mobility Alliance model. It also affirms Maextro’s success in the premium market. The deal helps Maserati fix product gaps quickly. It gains access to Huawei’s autonomous driving and HarmonyOS cockpit technology. It also uses JAC’s manufacturing capabilities. Huawei and JAC speed up their premium vehicle overseas expansion. They leverage Maserati’s global brand influence.
+49 others
