Written by Cláudio Afonso | LinkedIn | X
Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen are home to several well known Chinese new energy vehicle (NEV) manufacturers.
Coming from Chongqing, a major city in southwestern China, AITO arrived in the French capital on Monday to make its debut at the 90th Paris Auto Show, the most important automotive fair following the recent cancellation of the iconic Geneva Auto Show.
Just nearly three years after being founded, the NEV maker hosted on Monday a press conference to the European media showcasing its three premium SUVs AITO 5, AITO 7 and its flagship model, the AITO 9.
The brand has further increased the list of Chinese EV makers gathering attention from European consumers. However, the company did not provide a timeline for the entry into the old continent.
AITO, a short version for “Adding Intelligence to Auto,” has developed a platform named AITO MF Platform that supports “Super Range-extended Electric” vehicles, fully electric ones, and also “Ultra Hybrid” vehicles, as the brand names them.
The NEV maker claims it is “the only platform in the industry compatible with all three new energy power systems”. Over the last few months, pure EV makers such as XPeng and Avatr have announced that they are working on developing their first plug-in hybrid vehicle.
AITO’s platform focuses on four main areas including Intelligent Safety, Diverse Powertrain, Adaptable Cabin Space and Leading Intelligence, according to the brand.
Exiting directly from one of its three factories in Chongqing — known as “Super Factories” —, a total of eight vehicles kicked off a “Eurasian Tour” on September 2. The drivers crossed a total of twelve countries between China and France driving 15,018 kilometers in 38 days.
In a crowded keynote, AITO’s Business Group Vice President Li Bo highlighted the performance of the vehicles along the journey that ended in Paris five days before the beginning of the Paris Auto Show.
After arriving to the first stop in Xi’an, the drivers continue the journey to Horgos, Almaty, Tashkent, before arriving in Istanbul, Turkey.
After Istanbul, the drivers — which were driving three AITO 9, three AITO 7 and two AITO 5 vehicles — continued the Eurasian trip to Budapest (Hungary) before arriving in the German city of Munich, the last stop before the final destination.
Regarding Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) capabilities, AITO said the technology was able to cover more than 8,800 kilometers representing nearly 60 percent of the total distance driven.
In a statement, the brand said all three models had an “exceptional performance” despite “complex road conditions and extreme environments”.
Since its debut in December 2023, AITO’s flagship SUV, the Aito 9, has secured over 150,000 orders and delivered the 100,000th unit last month.
The model’s Range-extender technology provides a WLTP comprehensive range of more than 1,200 km thanks to a higher conversion efficiency.
Nine months after its launch, AITO sold 15,496 units in September, becoming the best selling model in the country for the sixth consecutive month among vehicles priced over 500,000 yuan ($71,300).
Regarding the 7 SUV, AITO delivered 200,000 units in the first year in the market, as announced by the brand in late September. The six-seat version of the model features zero-gravity seats with the brand focusing on a “Luxury Features for Maximum Comfort” approach.
The model has ranked third in sales among models priced above €60,000 ($65,6230) in the Chinese premium market.
Cumulative sales from January to September this year stood at 316,713 units marking a 364 percent increase from the same period of 2023.
In each of its 3 factories in Chongqing, AITO has over 3,000 robots allowing the company to be fully automated in key processes.
The company claims it was the first to adopt a 10,000-ton-level die-casting unit in its factory to guarantee “efficient, lightweight, and safe” production.
Written by Cláudio Afonso | LinkedIn | X
