Marko Hanželic
aito, the Chinese joint venture between Huawei and Seres, unveiled its flagship a six-seater SUV with the name M9. The electrified model is equipped with many advanced features, including the latest technology that provided by Huawei, many screens and two projectors that can provide inside and outside the vehicle cinematic experience.
Aito M9 it's a large SUV with modern design cues and a sleek but rather generic body. The highlight is the high-tech headlights reminiscent of a Huawei sedan Luxeed S7. The light units are equipped with adaptive matrix LED technology and can recognize pedestrians and other vehicles, while the built-in projector can turn any flat surface into 100-inch screen.
If you don't like it drive-in cinemas and outdoor karaoke, you'll probably prefer another cinephile-friendly option. There is a laser projector in the cabin and a retractable one 32 inch panel, which allows rear seat passengers to enjoy movies, games or TV shows from the comfort of their seats.
Dashboard Aita M9 it is similar to the Mercedes hyperscreen, as there are three screens on it. A 12,3-inch digital instrument cluster, a 15,6-inch central infotainment screen and a 16-inch screen for front passengers are combined with 75-inch head-up display and four more tablets for each of the passengers in the back (in addition to the laser projector), all of which work on Huawei's system Harmony OS 4. The sound experience they provide is also unique Huawei audio system with 25 speakers with a power of 2.080 W and active noise reduction technology.
The SUV's six-seat interior layout can be reconfigured according to the needs of passengers, as shown in the official gallery showing double bed configuration. All seats are electrically operated, with most offering 14-way adjustment, heating and ventilation. In terms of security, the Aito M9 is equipped with 27 sensors and the latest system Huawei ADS 2.0.
Aito M9 is slightly larger than BMW X7, as it measures 5.230 mm in length, 1.999 mm in width, 1.800 mm in height, and the wheelbase is 3.110 mm. Despite its size, it has a declared drag coefficient of 0,264 Cd, which is quite impressive for this segment. According to Aito's official website, Xuanwu has a structure of die-cast hot-formed steel for nuclear submarines, while Autohome reports that the body is 80% aluminum alloy.
Aito announced two drive options for the M9 – fully electric and with range extender. The BEV is equipped with two electric motors that together produce 390 kW (530 hp) of power and a 97,7 kWh battery pack from CATL that allows 630 km reaches CTLC. On the other hand, the EREV has a 1,5-liter engine/generator with a turbo charger under the hood, two electric motors with a total output of 365 kW (496 hp) and 42 kWh or 52 kWh batteries from CATL. This configuration allows combined range between 1.362 and 1.402 km with a fully charged battery and a full tank of fuel.
The new model is produced by the company You're welcome, Huawei and supplies the electric powertrain, sensors, infotainment system and more. As the name suggests, the M9 sits above the existing M5 and M7 SUVs. Thus, it will compete with similarly sized models in the Chinese market such as Li Auto L9, Nio ES8, HiPhi X, Hongqi E-HS9, and luxury SUVs from European manufacturers such as BMW X7 in Mercedes-Benz GLS.
Aito M9 can already be ordered in China at a price between 469.800 yuan (US$65.726) and 569.800 yuan (US$79.717). The first deliveries are scheduled for the beginning of next year.
