Seres Group, a partner of Huawei in the automotive industry, has commenced the delivery of vehicles in Europe. Recently, on June 21, Seres successfully handed over Seres 5 vehicles to their first European owners in Bergen, Norway. This announcement was made by the company, which is headquartered in Chongqing, China, on June 23.
In contrast to Nio, another Chinese electric vehicle (EV) manufacturer that directly sells its vehicles abroad, Seres collaborated with a local dealer called Sandven AS to carry out the initial deliveries in Norway. Sandven AS, working alongside Seres, aims to introduce a broader range of new energy vehicle (NEV) offerings to Norwegian consumers, specifically catering to the European market, as stated by Trond Sandven, the founder of the dealership.
It appears that the Seres 5 model delivered in Europe corresponds to the Aito M5, which is marketed in China. The Aito M5 is a product of the collaborative design efforts between Huawei and Aito, a brand jointly launched by Huawei and Seres. Presently, Seres’ Chinese website exclusively showcases the Aito series, comprising the Aito M5 and Aito M7.
According to Seres, the four-wheel drive version of the Seres 5 boasts a total power output of 430 kW and can accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in a mere 3.7 seconds. To cater to the varied mobility requirements of customers worldwide, the Seres 5 is available in both battery electric vehicle (BEV) and extended-range electric vehicle (EREV) versions.
Regarding its electric range, Seres specifies that the Seres 5 BEV variant offers a WLTP range of 500 kilometers for the two-wheel drive model and 530 kilometers for the flagship four-wheel drive version. On the other hand, the Seres 5 EREV, when fueled and powered to capacity, boasts a combined range of over 1,000 kilometers.
Notably, Seres has not disclosed whether the initial deliveries in Europe were of the Seres 5 BEV or the Seres 5 EREV model. However, the company’s announcement features an image that matches the appearance of the all-electric version of the Aito M5.
This development marks the latest stride taken by Seres to expand into international markets. On March 30, the company introduced the Landian brand and made its first model, the plug-in hybrid E5, available for purchase. The Landian E5, a mid-size SUV equipped with technology from Huawei and BYD, is offered in 5- and 7-seat configurations, with prices starting at RMB 139,900 ($18,490) in China.
Subsequently, on May 25, Landian shipped the initial batch of 500 Landian E5 vehicles to overseas markets. Huawei, in an official announcement made on April 20, 2021, revealed its plans to sell cars in its flagship stores. The first model made available for purchase was the Seres SF5 SUV, which employed extended-range technology. However, this particular model is no longer offered in China.
Collaboratively, Seres and Huawei launched a premium NEV brand named Aito on December 2, 2021. The brand debuted with the M5 EREV, M5 BEV, and M7 EREV models. Formerly known as Chongqing Sokon Industrial Group, Seres Group underwent a name change in August 2022, with Seres becoming one of its brands.
