Huawei, the renowned tech giant, has recently provided a glimpse of its upcoming coupe model, developed in partnership with Chery, under their Zhixuan automotive business. This groundbreaking all-electric coupe will be powered by the highly anticipated HarmonyOS 4 operating system, as stated by Richard Yu, the Managing Director and CEO of Huawei’s smart car solutions business unit, through a post on Weibo.
HarmonyOS represents Huawei’s innovative response to the restrictions it faced in utilizing Android several years ago. The latest iteration, HarmonyOS 4, was unveiled during Huawei’s HDC 2023 developer conference on August 4.
Setting a new direction for Zhixuan’s business, this coupe model promises to introduce an extraordinary design language, delivering an awe-inspiring and imaginative coupe experience. While specific details about the model were not provided by Yu, it was apparent that the front of the car proudly displayed the name “LUXEED,” hinting at a possible association with the new Luxeed brand.
This mysterious Luxeed brand has garnered attention in the automotive community as it marks its first public appearance. Speculation is rife among Weibo bloggers, with some suggesting that it may be the result of a joint collaboration between Huawei and Chery, possibly standing for “Luxury Exceed,” with Exceed being a sub-brand of Chery.
Notably, Huawei’s only existing joint venture with local automakers is the AITO brand, which stands for “Adding Intelligence to Auto.” On December 2, 2021, Huawei and Seres (previously known as Chongqing Sokon) launched the AITO brand, introducing the M5 and M7 SUVs in extended-range electric vehicle (EREV) and battery electric vehicle (BEV) variants.
In June 2022, local media outlet 36kr reported that Huawei was actively engaged in developing at least two models with Chery, one model with Nio’s automotive manufacturing partner Jianghuai Automobile Group Corp (JAC), and a similar partnership with BAIC’s Arcfox brand.
Huawei’s collaboration with car companies follows three distinct models: providing components and the HarmonyOS system with limited involvement, the “Huawei Inside” solution in the middle, and the “Zhixuan” model, where Huawei plays a substantial role in vehicle development and sales through its channels.
Yu’s significant involvement in the Zhixuan model positions it as the primary focus of Huawei’s automotive business strategy for the future.
Adding to the excitement, Ming-Chi Kuo, a prominent analyst at TF International Securities, known for closely tracking Apple’s supply chain, revealed that Huawei and JAC are jointly developing a high-end MPV model with an estimated price of nearly RMB 1 million ($140,000). The model is expected to enter mass production in the second quarter of 2024, targeting an annual shipment of approximately 50,000 units after its launch.