Aito 9 premieres as new luxury electric vehicle for global market

Aito originally got its start as a brand as a result of a collaboration between the Chinese state-based auto-maker Seres and the (probably more famous) smart electronics OEM Huawei; now, it has just beaten Xiaomi to a global launch for its EVs.

Seres Auto president Leon He has asserted that the company is ready to bring "an unparalleled 'new luxury' smart mobility experience to customers around the world", although its first 3 global vehicles only have variants intended for the Middle East, as it turns out.

They include the Aito 9, ostensibly that market's version of the top-end M9 extended-range EV (or EREV) for countries such as China and the Phillippines. 

It is available as a dual-motor all-wheel-drive (AWD) 5- to 6-seat SUV with a ternary NMC battery rated for up to 52 kilowatt-hours (kWh) augmented by a 1.5 liter (l) internal combustion engine.

It also has a 100kWh battery-powered EV (BEV) variant, which also has dual motors rated for up to 390kW (equivalent to 523 horsepower (hp)) of all-electric power, as opposed to 365kW (~489hp) in its EREV counterpart.

The Aito 5 seems to be the equivalent of the pre-existing M5, a smaller SUV that also has BEV and EREV options, rated for up to 200kW (~268hp) derived from an 83kWh CATL battery based on LFP technology and up to 365kW (~489hp) in its AWD 1.5l/42kWh NMC configuration respectively.

The M9 boasts a 12.3-inch LCD instrument panel, and a 16-inch passenger-side monitor in addition to the 15.6-inch central console display it has in common with the M5.

The Aito 7 (or erstwhile M7) might fall between the 2 with the 1.5l/42kWh NMC power source but an output of up to 330kW (~449hp), and with the instrument and main screens but without the front passenger display.

Aito has indicated that the cars' international versions will have a similarly "diverse range" of energy-use types to choose from on their release to their new regions.

The Aito 9, 7 and 5 are now available for preview to IAA Mobility 2025 attendees until September 12, 2025.