Huawei, SAIC's 1st joint model could debut in mid-2025, report says

Huawei and SAIC's first joint model could be unveiled officially as soon as mid-year and hit the market within this year, according to local media. The brand is called Shangjie in Chinese and will target a younger demographic, according to previous reports. (File photo shows a Rising F7. Image credit: CnEVPost) The new car brand created by Huawei in partnership with SAIC Motor (SHA: 600104) is expected to officially debut its model as soon as the middle of this year, a report in local media China Securities Journal said today, citing people familiar with the matter. The first model of the new brand, which is expected to be called Shangjie (尚界) in Chinese, has already been confirmed for launch in 2025, according to the report. At an event last night, SAIC president Jia Jianxu said the company and Huawei will work together based on the Zhixuan model. Huawei has three main ways of working with automakers, with the approach of launching a new joint brand being the one it is most deeply involved in. Originally known as Zhixuan, the business was upgraded in November 2023 to HIMA (Harmony Intelligent Mobility Alliance). In the approach where Huawei is least involved, the tech giant only provides components and the HarmonyOS system. In the middle of the spectrum is the "Huawei Inside" approach, where Huawei provides full-stack smart car solutions, including smart cockpits and smart driving, to automakers. Over the past few months, multiple local media outlets had reported that Huawei and SAIC would jointly create a new brand called Shangjie, which will be the fifth brand under Huawei's HIMA business. On February 21, the two companies officially signed a deal to jointly build new energy vehicles (NEVs). SAIC's statement at that time did not mention further details. There have been several reports that the two companies would work together to create a new brand to target the younger demographic. Shangjie's first model will have a starting price of around RMB 170,000 ($23,230) to RMB 250,000, 36kr said in a February 11 report, citing a person familiar with the matter. On February 17, another local media outlet, Yicai, reported that Shangjie's first model will be based on a model from SAIC's sub-brand Roewe, with a starting price in the region of RMB 150,000 yuan. All of the new brand's models will be sold in HIMA's channels, according to Yicai. ($1 = RMB 7.3195) Huawei has sent team of 300 to Avatr for joint car-making, report says Huawei and Avatr are working together on product definition, user insights, and marketing strategies, according to local media.