Huawei’s Aito new energy car brand plans to launch the new model with a sodium-containing 12C battery pack from CATL. This model is a high-volume car, possibly called Aito M6. Its batteries will be produced at the CATL’s first Chongqing factory, located at the Seres’ plant.
Aito is a joint brand between Huawei and Seres that has been running since 2021 in China. Seres takes care of the platform development and manufacturing of Aito-branded vehicles. Huawei acts as a key component and OS supplier. It is also responsible for domestic sales of Aito vehicles through the HIMA (Harmony Intelligent Mobility Alliance) network. Seres takes care of Aito’s international development.
On June 30, CATL announced the launch of two battery production lines within the Seres’ plant in Chongqing called “Seres Super Factory”. During the ceremony, Seres officials teased the upcoming model under the Aito brand. It will adopt CATL-made batteries capable of 12C charging.
New Aito model with sodium-containing 12C battery
During the presentation of the CATL’s two production lines, Seres teased its upcoming model. It almost went completely under the radar since little information was disclosed about the actual car. However, Seres’ officials highlighted that the new Aito model will adopt a sodium-containing battery pack from CATL with a 12C charging capability.
The unnamed Aito vehicle will be available in two modifications. The first is EREV with a sodium-containing Freevoy battery on board. The second is BEV with the Qilin pack. On the slide, we can also see other inscriptions. They include “New sodium battery”, “Condensed state”, and “NP2.0 thermoelectric separation”.
The most important information about the new vehicle’s battery is the adoption of 12C charging technology. It means the battery of the EV could be charged with power that is twelve times its capacity. For example, a 100 kWh battery pack would be able to handle 1200 kW (1.2 MW). The 12C technology theoretically allows the battery to reach a full charge under 10 minutes.
There is no further information about the batteries’ chemistry. Previously, CATL officially announced that its Freevoy pack contains sodium elements. They broaden the operating temperature range of the battery. It is currently unclear if the Qilin battery will also adopt sodium elements.
More about the upcoming Aito model
There is no exact information about the upcoming Aito model. A teaser image shows it is an SUV. Seres also shared that this model will “define new luxury”. The automaker also clarified that its upcoming vehicle is a large-volume car. The current Aito model line comprises four crossovers: M5, M7, M8, and M9.
In China, the number “9” stands for completeness and eternity. Therefore, flagship cars often bear this digit in their names. We have several examples: the Xpeng G9, the Zeekr 9X, the Li Auto L9, the Aito M9, the Onvo L90, the Nio ET9, etc. Therefore, the upcoming Aito model can’t be the brand’s new flagship. CarNewsChina expects this model to become the Aito M6. However, there is a high chance it is the next-gen Aito M7 model. This car was previously spotted in China during road tests.
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