A new automotive partnership between Chinese tech giant Huawei and SAIC Motor has been finalized, aiming to create a new brand under Huawei’s Harmony Intelligent Mobility Alliance (HIMA) business. The partnership was reported by local media outlet 36kr, which cited industry sources familiar with the development.
The new brand, tentatively named Shangjie (尚界) in Chinese, will be the fifth under Huawei’s HIMA initiative. Huawei has developed three approaches to partnering with automakers, with the creation of a new brand being the most involved approach. The brand, which was initially called Zhixuan before being rebranded to HIMA in November 2023, allows Huawei to take an active role in designing and marketing the vehicles.
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Huawei’s involvement in automotive projects spans multiple levels. In its least-involved model, Huawei simply supplies components and the HarmonyOS system. In the “Huawei Inside” model, the company offers full-stack smart car solutions, including smart cockpits and autonomous driving technologies.
Under HIMA, Huawei has already teamed up with several automakers to launch new brands, including Seres Group’s Aito, Chery’s Luxeed, BAIC Group’s Stelato, and JAC’s Maextro. These brands have resulted in six models currently on sale, such as the Aito M5, Luxeed S7, and Stelato S9.
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The new brand created with SAIC will target a younger demographic, with vehicles expected to be priced between RMB 170,000 ($23,260) and RMB 250,000. The initial model, based on a design from SAIC’s sub-brand Rising Auto, will feature some exterior modifications while incorporating Huawei’s electrical architecture and smart technologies. The vehicle is expected to hit the market in the fourth quarter of 2025.
Huawei is using its experience in product development and marketing to reshape the product and drive the partnership forward. Reports suggest that teams from both Huawei and SAIC are already working closely on the project. The announcement of this collaboration follows a similar move by Huawei with GAC Group, which plans to jointly launch an EV brand with models priced in the RMB 300,000 range.
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