The Aito brand jointly run by Seres and Huawei in China has just unveiled its second model. Dubbed the M7, the vehicle takes the form of a six-seat SUV with a range-extender powertrain. The Aito M7 measures 5,020 mm long, 1,945 mm wide, and 1,775 mm tall with a 2,820 mm wheelbase, meaning it is quite a bit bigger than the Aito M5 launched earlier this year that’s 4,770 mm long, 1,930 mm wide, and 1,625 mm tall.
Aito has given the vehicle a fairly
unassuming look but has made it distinct enough from the smaller M5. Found at
the front of the SUV are simple headlights connected by an LED light bar and a
small black central grille. Right below there’s a larger black grille with
horizontal strakes finished in silver alongside small vertical air curtains on
either side of the bumper. Spin around to the side and you will find pronounced
arches, pop-out door handles, and large silver and black wheels. Ensuring the
rear stands out are LED taillights and a pronounced light bar.
Found in the cabin of the M7 is a
10.25-inch digital instrument cluster and a large landscape-oriented 15.6-inch
infotainment screen with Huawei’s HarmonyOS operating system. The M7 also
features two wireless phone charging pads, a Volvo-esque crystal gear shifter,
and wooden trim that extends across the dashboard and door panels. Elsewhere,
the SUV has been equipped with a 19-speaker audio system while the front and
second-row seats both benefit from heating, cooling, and massaging functions.
Car News China notes that the leather can be finished in either Amber Brown,
Polar Night Black, Spring Apricot, and Ivory White.
The M7 features a 1.5-liter turbocharged
four-cylinder that produces 125 hp but acts solely as a range extender to
charge the battery. Entry-level models have a single electric motor at the rear
axle with 272 hp and 360 Nm of torque while the flagship variant
sports two electric motors to produce a combined 449 hp and 660 Nm.
Aito says the single motor version hits 100 km/h in 7.8 seconds while
the AWD model slashes that time to 4.8 seconds.
Both variants sport a 40 kWh battery from
CATL. The single motor version can operate for up to 195 km in
all-electric mode and 1,100 km when using the range extender. The
range figures of the M7 AWD drop to 165 km and 1,000 km respectively. Chinese pricing for the Aito M7 varies between 319,800 RMB
(US$ 47,780) and 379,800 RMB (US$ 56,720). It has already proved popular with buyers,
with 20,000 orders confirmed in the first four hours of its launch.
