Huawei’s Automobile Partner Sokon Sold Over 7,000 NEVs in March

Chongqing Sokon, Chinese tech giant Huawei’s most important partner in the automotive sector, sold 7,451 new energy vehicles (NEVs) in March, up 164.69% year-on-year, according to figures it released on Wednesday.

Sokon produced 6,480 NEVs in March, of which 3,465 were under the Seres brand. Seres sold 3,160 units in March and 5,044 units in the first quarter this year. This is also the first time Sokon unveiled the NEVs brand’s sales data.

Due to the tiny output of the SF5 launched previously, most of the production and sales of Seres in March were derived from the AITO M5, an extended-range new energy vehicle jointly built by Huawei and Seres. The model started its pre-sale in December last year but only began delivery in March this year.

Richard Yu, CEO of Huawei’s intelligent vehicle solutions business unit, had previously mentioned that the AITO M5 should deliver about 5,000 units in March this year. The goal, as stated, failed according to the results unveiled by Sokon.

AITO M5 has three models: one rear-drive version and two four-wheel drive versions, with prices ranging from 249,800 yuan to 319,800 yuan ($39,257 – $50,258). The new vehicle is positioned as a medium-sized SUV which is equipped for the first time with the HarmonyOS intelligent console. The vehicle also hosts an extended-range hybrid powertrain system consisting of a 1.5T range extender and a driving motor. Its maximum cruising range is 1,242 kilometers.

SEE ALSO: Final Price of Huawei AITO M5 Settled

Another EV maker Li Auto‘s Li ONE is the leader in the field of extended-range electric vehicles, with its delivery volume reaching 11,000 units in March. Some analysts pointed out that the main reason why extended-range electric vehicles are favored by consumers at present is that they effectively solve the common problems of energy requirements and the shorter mileage of pure electric vehicles.

This year, Huawei will launch a pure electric version of the AITO M5 and a new medium and large SUV. Yu previously revealed that the AITO brand will challenge the sales target of 300,000 units in 2022.