• The Aito M8 BEV has a starting price of RMB 359,800, available in five-seat and six-seat versions.
• The number of available versions for the Aito M8 has increased to 12, with mass deliveries of the BEV variant set to begin in September.

Huawei-backed Aito has officially launched the battery electric vehicle (BEV) variant of the M8, offering a new attractive option in China's mid-to-large electric SUV (sport utility vehicle) segment.

The Aito M8 BEV went on sale today with a starting price of RMB 359,800 ($50,280), a reduction of RMB 18,200, or 4.81 percent, from the previously announced pre-sales price of RMB 378,000.

Shortly after the variant's launch, Aito announced that the M8 BEV had secured over 7,000 firm orders within two hours of its launch.

Aito offers the M8 BEV in three variants: Max+ Long Range Edition, Max+ All-Wheel Drive Edition, and Ultra All-Wheel Drive Edition, each available in five-seat and six-seat configurations.

The starting prices for the three five-seat variants are RMB 359,800, RMB 379,800, and RMB 429,800, respectively. The starting prices for the three six-seat versions are RMB 379,800, RMB 399,800, and RMB 449,800, respectively.

This brings the total number of available versions for the Aito M8 to 12, with its extended-range electric vehicle (EREV) variant also offering three five-seat versions and three six-seat versions.

Mass deliveries of the BEV variant will begin in September.

The Aito M8 BEV measures 5,190 mm in length, 1,999 mm in width, and 1,795 mm in height, with a wheelbase of 3,105 mm, identical to the EREV variant.

The BEV variant is built on Huawei's Giant Whale 800-volt high-voltage platform, featuring a standard 100-kWh battery pack from CATL, with a CLTC range of up to 705 kilometers.

The rear-wheel-drive versions of the Aito M8 BEV feature a motor with a maximum power output of 227 kW (305 horsepower), while the all-wheel-drive versions add an additional 160 kW motor, bringing the total power output to 387 kW.

The model is equipped with Huawei's 192-channel LiDAR, one rear-facing high-precision solid-state LiDAR, and five 4D millimeter-wave radars, supporting active safety, smart driving assistance, and intelligent parking assistance.

Aito launched the M8 on April 16, a mid-to-large-size SUV and the brand's fourth model, initially available only as an EREV variant with a starting price of RMB 359,800.

The Aito M8 BEV is expected to compete with models including the Tesla (NASDAQ: TSLA) Model Y L, Li Auto (NASDAQ: LI) Li i8, Nio Inc's (NYSE: NIO) ES8, and Onvo L90.

The Model Y L and Li i8 are both six-seat models, with starting prices of RMB 339,000 and RMB 339,800, respectively.

The Onvo L90 has a starting price of RMB 265,800 including the battery pack. The six-seat version is currently being delivered, with the seven-seat version set to begin deliveries in late September.

The Nio ES8 began pre-sales on August 21, with a starting price of RMB 416,800 including the battery pack. It is scheduled to officially launch at Nio Day 2025 at the end of next month.

($1 = RMB 7.1565)