The recent sales trend of Harmony Intelligent Mobility is truly fascinating, with a pronounced polarization.

Friends familiar with AITO know that the M9 is now the absolute top-selling model in the family, having sold over 10,000 units per month for three consecutive months, firmly grasping the high-end market. The M6 and M7, two volume-selling models, maintain a stable sales base with consistent daily sales.

The only exception is the AITO M8, a mid-to-large flagship SUV for home use that was once highly anticipated but has now completely fallen behind.

The numbers don't lie: in August, only 1,435 units of the AITO M8 were sold, making it an outlier within the entire family. In fact, everyone knows that it's not because the car's positioning is off or its space is insufficient; it's purely that the current configuration can't keep up with the current intense competition in the new energy vehicle market.

Because of this, many consumers have been holding onto their money, waiting for the new model to arrive. And now, the wait is finally over!

Here's the key point: This is the first major facelift model after Seres and Huawei's business separation and AITO's independent operation! The all-new AITO M8 has completed its declaration with the MIIT, with official confirmation that pre-sales will formal begin on September 29.

The first M8 to shed Huawei's halo and bid farewell to the Yu Chengdong era is not just a minor annual facelift. This upgrade is a complete transformation, addressing all shortcomings and demonstrating full sincerity.

01. Completely Eliminating the Common Issues of the Old Model! Range and Charging Surpass Competitors Across the Board

To be honest, the biggest drawback of the current AITO M8 is its poor range and slow charging.

Even the 896-line LiDAR version released in March this year kept up with the intelligent driving experience, but its core electric drive system remained the same as last year's. While it was barely adequate last year, in the 2026 new energy vehicle market, where competition revolves around batteries and range, the shortcomings of the old M8 have been infinitely magnified.

The old model's entry-level version had only a 37 kWh battery, while the mainstream version had a 53.4 kWh battery, offering a two-wheel-drive pure electric range of 255 km and a four-wheel-drive range of 246 km. In contrast, the popular Li Auto L9 in the same class has a 72.7 kWh large battery and a 350 km pure electric range, making the gap obvious. Even more embarrassingly, the old model's fast charging took 15 minutes, while competitors only took 10 minutes, resulting in a significant difference in daily charging convenience, which naturally made family users hesitant.

This new M8 model precisely addresses these issues, with all versions Standard configuration featuring CATL's new battery cells, doubling the battery specifications:

The entry-level version now has a 56.836 kWh battery, completely eliminating "small battery anxiety."

The high-end version directly jumps to a 75.408 kWh battery, achieving a leap in battery capacity.

The range performance has also been completely overhauled: the new model's two-wheel-drive WLTC pure electric range is 352 km, and the four-wheel-drive range is 345 km, directly catching up with the mainstream level of the Li Auto L9. More surprisingly, in terms of energy consumption control, the new model's fuel consumption when the battery is depleted is as low as 6.5L/100 km, balancing long range and low fuel consumption, and maximizing home-use cost-effectiveness.

The most explosive upgrade must be praised separately: all versions now feature an 800V high-voltage platform!

Keep in mind that the old model was entirely based on a 400V platform, which is no longer sufficient today. The new model, whether it's the extended-range or pure electric version, comes standard with an 800V high-voltage architecture, reducing fast charging time to just over 10 minutes, placing it in the top tier of the industry for charging speed, and completely eliminating the trouble of waiting for charging.

In addition, the new model's high-end pure electric version has another major surprise: there are rumors that it will be equipped with the same 120 kWh ultra-large battery as the AITO M9, offering a CLTC pure electric range exceeding 800 km. This hardware capability is a complete game-changer in the 400,000 RMB home SUV segment.

02. Comprehensive Advancements in Intelligent Driving and Chassis, Significantly Narrowing the Gap with the M9

Previously, many people chose not to go with the M8 for another core reason: even the top-spec M8's experience fell far short of the entry-level M9.

While the current M8 is equipped with an 896-line LiDAR, which is sufficient for daily commuting and short trips, it pales in comparison to the M9's full-scenario advanced intelligent driving system in terms of recognition accuracy, response speed, and applicable scenarios.

The new M8 completely closes this gap! The new car features a complete renewal of its intelligent driving perception hardware, equipped with a high-end intelligent driving system on par with the M9, supporting practical functions such as end-to-end navigation from parking space to parking space and park NCA. Simply put, the intelligent driving experience previously only available in the M9 is now also available in the new M8, allowing for hands-free driving on long trips and stress-free parking for novices.

In terms of power, the new car does not blindly stack parameters but continues with the market-proven 1.5T extended-range powertrain, emphasizing stability, reliability, and peace of mind for home use.

The extended-range version offers a maximum of 309 horsepower for two-wheel drive and a combined 533 horsepower for four-wheel drive, with a 0-100 km/h acceleration of 5.2 seconds. The acceleration is brisk without being abrupt, perfectly suited for family use. The pure electric version is also tuned for stability, with smooth and linear power output, sufficient for daily commuting and highway overtaking.

The upgrades to the chassis and tires also elevate the overall quality of the vehicle to a new level. The new car offers 20- and 21-inch wheel options, with high-end models featuring 265 front and 285 rear wide tires, giving the rear a more robust and aggressive appearance. At the same time, the chassis tuning has been optimized to address the pain points of large vehicles being cumbersome and difficult to park. Despite being a 5.2-meter large SUV, it drives with the agility of a compact SUV, making city commuting and neighborhood parking no longer a hassle.

03. Subtle Aesthetic Adjustments + New Colors, Focusing on Comfort for the Whole Family

This facelift does not involve drastic changes to the exterior, but the subtle optimizations hit all the right pain points, adding a touch of youthfulness while maintaining a steady appearance.

The body dimensions and wheelbase remain unchanged, still featuring a 5190mm length + 3105mm ultra-long wheelbase, continuing to offer both 5-seat and 6-seat layouts. This space dimension remains in the top tier of its class, ensuring that neither the elderly in the second row nor children in the third row will feel cramped, truly achieving "comfortable seating in every row."

The aesthetic upgrades are immediately noticeable: the front grille has been changed to the same dense honeycomb design as the M9, giving it a more sporty and commanding presence than the old model's horizontal grille. The C-pillar now features a side-mounted camera, enhancing intelligent driving perception capabilities while also elevating the vehicle's overall sophistication. The taillights have been optimized for a more refined light texture, significantly improving the vehicle's rear visibility.

Additionally, the official has unveiled two new exclusive paint colors: Sky Mural Blue and Cangrong Green.

Finally, we bid farewell to the old model's monotonous black, white, and gray colors! The two new colors are fresh and sophisticated, not flashy but with a high-quality feel, suitable for both middle-aged family users and young fathers, maximizing aesthetic appeal.

In today's new energy vehicle market, many models blindly stack configurations and parameters, but the new M8 has a clear approach: it doesn't stack parameters but instead optimizes for home needs.

The long wheelbase ensures comfort for all occupants, dual powertrains adapt to different charging scenarios, advanced intelligent driving reduces driver fatigue, and a flexible chassis solves the pain points of large vehicles. Every upgrade is a tangible improvement that family users can truly benefit from.

04. Can the New M8, Shedding Huawei's Halo, Support AITO's Sales?

The debut of the all-new M8 holds significant meaning for AITO.

This is the first major facelift model after Seres took the lead and AITO became independently operated. In the past, AITO quickly gained attention and established itself in the high-end market with Huawei's technology and Traffic halo . However, after the separation, AITO must rely on its own product strength, and the new M8 is the brand's first major test after independence.

The 400,000 RMB home SUV segment is fiercely competitive, with Li Auto and NIO each having their strengths. Consumers are already accustomed to seeing high-configuration, spacious models. When choosing a car now, they no longer look at who has stronger parameters but rather who is more suitable for daily family use and offers higher overall cost-effectiveness.

Based on the currently announced information and declaration data, the all-new M8 is clearly well-prepared: with an 800V platform, ultra-large battery for extended range, a downscaled version of advanced intelligent driving, a flexible and easy-to-drive chassis, and dual seating + dual powertrain layouts, it directly addresses all shortcomings of the old model, achieving a comprehensive leap in product strength.

The all-new AITO M8, with pre-sales set to begin on September 29, is not only a key model for AITO to rescue sales and Perfect its product lineup but also a litmus test for the brand's independent development.

Can the new AITO M8, shedding Huawei's filter and relying solely on hard strength rather than hype, stage a comeback and redefine the 400,000 RMB home flagship SUV segment? Let's wait and see!

Disclaimer: This article is solely a commentary by Zhicaijing and does not constitute any investment advice. The corporate data and regulatory events mentioned herein are derived from publicly available information and are for reference only. Please refer to official sources for specific details. Images are sourced from the internet; if there are any copyright issues, please contact us for removal.