Huawei and Seres Sign New Five-Year Aito Partnership

Huawei and Seres Renew Aito Partnership for Five Years

The Huawei and Seres Aito partnership has entered a new five-year phase focused on jointly upgrading the Aito business and deepening cooperation. Huawei’s HIMA (Harmony Intelligent Mobility Alliance) announced the agreement Thursday, following a signing ceremony held September 30 in Shenzhen, where Huawei is headquartered. Huawei executive director and consumer business group chairman Richard Yu attended with Seres founder and chairman Zhang Xinghai. Under the new arrangement, the companies plan to establish a dedicated Aito team, strengthen customer service through dedicated brand operations, and continue positioning Aito as a premium smart vehicle brand. The announcement said Aito’s user base has surpassed 1.2 million, underscoring the scale of the business as the partners reset their cooperation framework.

Seres Assumed Greater Aito Operating Responsibilities

The agreement follows a September 15 change in the companies’ cooperation model that gave Seres responsibility for Aito product definition, product design, brand marketing, retail channels, and the service network, while Huawei continued providing support. At that time, the companies stressed that Aito would remain a HIMA member and that existing customer benefits and subsequent services would not be affected. The adjustment nevertheless raised questions about how the partnership would evolve. During a September 24 visit to a HIMA store, Richard Yu said Seres had substantially strengthened its capabilities through the partnership and had proposed taking the lead in Aito operations, a move Huawei supported.

Negotiations Coincided With the Previous Agreement’s Expiration

Seres chairman Zhang Xinghai also said previously that the partnership had remained intact, telling China’s state broadcaster CCTV that the adjustment focused on dedicated brand operations intended to improve Aito’s positioning and services. Changes in operating control and fee arrangements appear to provide important context for the latest developments. LatePost reported September 24 that the previous five-year cooperation agreement was approaching expiration and that the companies had conducted several negotiation rounds, with Seres adopting a more assertive position. Citing Seres’ prospectus, the report said purchases from Huawei and its affiliates reached 56.05 billion yuan, or about $8.32 billion, in 2025, roughly 10 times the amount recorded three years earlier.

Fee Arrangements Also Changed Under the Earlier Model

The earlier cooperation structure also involved technology licensing and channel marketing fees, according to the LatePost report. It said Seres paid Huawei about 10% for each vehicle sold under the previous model. The operating changes extended into dealer settlements and staffing. According to the report, the contracting party for Aito dealer agreements changed from Huawei to a Seres affiliate, while Seres assumed settlement of comprehensive service fees for new orders beginning September 16. LatePost also reported that some outsourced Huawei project teams working on Aito had been disbanded and that Huawei employees assigned to those projects were expected to move to other businesses.

New Agreement Leaves Operating Structure Partly Unclear

Negotiations were reportedly active again before the new agreement was announced. Yicai reported Thursday that the companies had recently resumed discussions and that the partnership could be upgraded through dedicated Aito operations rather than simply moving to Seres-led operations supported by Huawei. Automotive media outlet Mingjing Pro separately reported claims from several industry bloggers that Huawei’s operating team previously assigned to Seres was preparing to return and that Huawei could resume leading the partnership. However, that report explicitly said the claims had not been officially confirmed. The new agreement confirms a five-year partnership and dedicated team, but does not clarify whether the September 15 operating-control arrangement has changed.

Staffing and Fee-Sharing Details Remain Undisclosed

The latest announcement also leaves several operational details unresolved. Huawei and Seres did not disclose the staffing structure of the dedicated team or explain how fees would be shared under the new agreement. The announcement likewise did not state that the operating-control arrangement introduced on September 15 had been reversed. That distinction is important because the companies have described the recent changes as an effort to improve dedicated operations, customer service, brand positioning, and long-term cooperation rather than as an end to their partnership. The five-year term provides a new framework, while the precise division of responsibilities will depend on further information from the companies.

Aito Faces Continued Delivery Pressure

The agreement arrives while HIMA deliveries remain under pressure. The alliance delivered 37,490 vehicles in September, a 29.15% year-over-year decline and its fourth consecutive month of annual declines. Against that backdrop, the renewed five-year commitment gives Aito a longer-term partnership structure while the companies work to improve operations and customer service. The announcement does not provide a new delivery target or identify specific product changes, so the immediate focus remains on organizational execution and the effectiveness of the dedicated team. The scale of Aito’s more than 1.2 million users also makes service continuity and brand positioning important considerations as the revised cooperation model takes effect.

Industry Impact & Outlook

The renewed five-year framework could give Aito greater operational continuity as Huawei and Seres work to strengthen customer service and preserve its premium smart vehicle positioning. For the broader Chinese smart-vehicle market, the development is significant because the partners are adjusting responsibilities while Aito faces a fourth consecutive month of year-over-year delivery declines. The dedicated team may help clarify execution and coordination, but the eventual impact will depend on how the companies divide operating responsibilities, staffing, fees, and dealer support. With more than 1.2 million users already associated with Aito, the practical priority will be maintaining service quality while improving the business model and responding to current delivery pressure.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does the new Huawei-Seres Aito agreement establish?
Huawei and Seres have signed a five-year agreement to jointly upgrade the Aito business and strengthen brand operations under a renewed framework. The companies plan to establish an Aito team, improve customer service, and continue positioning the brand as a premium vehicle business. The agreement follows a September 15 change that placed Seres in charge of product definition, design, marketing, retail channels, and service networks, with Huawei providing support. The new announcement does not confirm whether that operating-control arrangement has changed, and it does not disclose the team’s staffing or revised fee-sharing structure. Aito’s user base has surpassed 1.2 million.