Huawei and Seres Auto have announced changes to their Aito partnership. Credit: Aito Understand China EV’s Market Real-time notifications when critical EV data is released All important data in one place 2,000,000+ data points Become a member Huawei’s automotive endeavours have experienced a seismic shift. The Chinese tech giant has announced new terms in its Aito partnership with Seres Auto, where the latter will handle vehicle development, manufacturing, sales, and after-sales, while Huawei will revert to a tech provider role. The two firms are responsible for the Aito brand within the Harmony Intelligent Mobility Alliance (HIMA). HIMA also clarified that the new terms of independence only apply to Aito, while other brands (Luxeed, Stelato, Maextro, and SAIC) remain Huawei-led. This comes as Huawei allegedly took a 50,000 yuan (7,500 USD) cut from every Aito vehicle sold under the old agreement. Seres Auto is also under pressure amid declining profits in the first half of 2026. What’s changing for Aito HIMA’s announcement regarding the change in Aito’s operations. HIMA stresses that Aito remains a “member of the HIMA family”, with all after-sales services and buyer rights remaining unaffected. It also claims that the Aito brand has been a success, and is evidence of “multi-disciplinary cross-industry co-operation” and “automotive industry enhancement”. The new terms, though, make Aito more akin to a sub-brand of Seres Auto. The automaker now handles product definition, design, production, marketing, sales channels, and after-sales services. HIMA says Huawei’s consumer services will help “enhance the Aito brand”, presumably in a tech provider role. This is a stark departure from the other brands in the HIMA lineup. For Luxeed, Stelato, Maextro, and the confusingly named SAIC (Shangjie), Huawei takes on the dominant role, heading development and marketing. Meanwhile, the partnering automakers (Chery, BAIC, JAC, and SAIC) are mostly responsible for manufacturing. Aito will also get its own brand-exclusive retail stores, while other HIMA vehicles will remain bundled at dealerships and Huawei outlets. This may benefit Aito owners, both old and new, who could receive brand-specific servicing and support. More on Seres Auto The announcement comes as Seres Auto is facing a slide in profits. CarNewsChina previously reported pessimistic operational forecasts, with the automaker predicting a profit decline in H1 2026 of around 60%, with final profits around 740 to 970 million yuan (110 to 140 million USD). Seres Auto is likely also unhappy with its profit-sharing arrangements with Huawei. Che Shi Du Ping (Auto Market Independent Review), a Chinese auto outlet, claims that under previous terms, Seres Auto was acquiring over 30% of its automotive components from Huawei. The outlet also alleges that the tech giant was taking a 50,000 yuan (7,500 USD) cut from every Aito vehicle sold. For reference, the Aito lineup begins with the base-model M6 (229,800 yuan / 34,300 USD), and ends with the range-topping M9, whose top trim retails at 659,800 yuan (98,400 USD). The Aito M6 and M9. Credit: Aito This would let Huawei skim up to 22% from the transaction price of every Aito vehicle sold, while making more money through its components-supplier arm. The new deal would likely boost Seres Auto’s short-term profits. It has launched an in-house brand, Aiva, to reduce its reliance on Huawei, while denying rumours of working with ByteDance on a “TikTok car”. The automaker previously also made headlines for filing patents for an in-car toilet. Still, it remains to be seen whether the automaker can continue providing an uninterrupted HIMA experience, or whether its cars will become NEVs with Huawei characteristics. Source: Weibo – HIMA, WeChat – Che Shi Du Ping (Auto Market Independent Review) Most important news in your inbox. Recaps · scheduled All you need, in one email. Instant alerts · real-time Ping me when an article goes live. 0 of 27 topics selected Bundle into one email per day — instead of one email per article No spam · Unsubscribe with one click · Change settings anytime
+72 others
