Epicland X9 undercuts Aito M8 by 70,000 CNY as Huawei steps back from Aito

Epicland, the brand built by state-owned Dongfeng Motor and Huawei, logged 9,157 locked-in orders for its X9 six-seat extended-range SUV in the 24 hours after its September 24, 2026 launch. At a 289,800 CNY (c. $43,200) guide price, the X9 starts 70,000 CNY (c. $10,400) below the 359,800 CNY Aito M8, the HIMA six-seater it most directly overlaps.

The launch landed nine days after Huawei loosened its hold on Aito. On September 15, 2026, the Harmony Intelligent Mobility Alliance (HIMA) said Seres (SHA: 601127) would take over Aito's product definition, design, marketing, retail and service, with Huawei moving to a supporting role. Huawei continues to run the alliance's other four brands: Luxeed, Stelato, Maextro and Shangjie.

Epicland sits outside that structure. It belongs to Huawei's separate "Jing" series, which is led by Huawei's Yinwang intelligent-vehicle unit and sells through each brand's own dealer network rather than Huawei's stores. The Dongfeng project was named Epicland on November 20, 2025, with production assigned to Dongfeng Passenger Vehicle Technology (Chengdu). The X9 uses six Huawei Qiankun solutions, including ADS 5 driver assistance, the HarmonySpace 6 cockpit and the Chitu platform, which merges powertrain, braking, steering, suspension, body and thermal control.

Huawei founder Ren Zhengfei met Dongfeng general manager Feng Changjun in Shenzhen on September 22, 2026, two days before the launch. Representatives of Dongfeng's Epicland, M-Hero and Voyah brands also attended, and Ren said the foundation of carmaking is safety and quality. He had hosted GAC chairman Feng Xingya on August 24, 2026, and the GAC-Huawei Jing brand Aistaland (Qijing) launched its GX7 SUV on September 23, 2026 at a limited-time 229,900 to 291,900 CNY (c. $34,300 to $43,500).

The X9 comes in four trims: Max at 289,800 CNY, Ultra at 299,800 CNY (c. $44,700), Ultra+ long-range at 329,800 CNY (c. $49,100) and Ultra+ flagship at 369,800 CNY (c. $55,100). A 10,000 CNY (c. $1,500) trade-in credit, open to all buyers until October 25, 2026, cuts the effective range to 279,800 to 359,800 CNY (c. $41,700 to $53,600). The starting figure is 20,000 CNY (c. $3,000) below the 299,800 CNY presale price announced on August 18, 2026. The two Ultra+ trims are each 10,000 CNY cheaper than their presale prices of 339,800 CNY (c. $50,600) and 379,800 CNY (c. $56,600).

The X9 went on sale on September 24, 2026, with four trims and an optional four-lidar package on the Ultra (Epicland)

The entry price leaves out much of the hardware the X9 is promoted on. The rear-drive Max trim has one 896-line lidar, no air suspension and a 5.9-meter turning radius, with 0 to 100 km/h in 7.8 seconds. The Ultra adds dual-chamber air suspension and offers a four-lidar package for 10,000 CNY, but rear-wheel steering (5.3-meter turning radius), standard four-lidar hardware and the 4.81-second sprint are reserved for the 329,800 CNY Ultra+ trims. Urban assisted driving is listed as an option on every trim.

The middle Ultra trim makes a different trade. It pairs a 350 kW dual-motor setup with a smaller 51.46 kWh battery on a 400-volt platform, giving 280 km (174 miles) of CLTC electric range, while the other three trims use a 74.29 kWh CATL lithium iron phosphate pack on 800 volts. Max reaches 465 km (289 miles) CLTC and 1,410 km (876 miles) combined, and a 20% to 80% fast charge takes 18 minutes. With the battery depleted, the Max trim is rated at 6.47 liters per 100 km on the WLTC cycle, and curb weight ranges from 2,770 kg to 2,962 kg. All trims share a 95 kW 1.5-liter turbocharged Dongfeng range extender, a 5,301 mm (209-inch) body and a 3,120 mm (123-inch) wheelbase.

Inside, the X9 runs Huawei's HarmonySpace 6 cockpit on twin 17.2-inch screens for the driver and front passenger, with a 75-inch AR head-up display and a 21-speaker, 1,000-watt Huawei Sound system on every trim. Seating is a 2+2+2 layout with a zero-gravity second-row seat, and cargo space runs from 484 liters with all rows up to 1,368 liters with the third row folded. The third-row cushion is 1,101 mm wide, and the cabin includes a refrigerator that cools to minus 6 degrees Celsius and heats to 50 degrees.

Rendering of the X9 cockpit, whose twin 17.2-inch displays use a 21:10 aspect ratio and are standard on all four trims (Epicland)

The X9's closest rivals cooled sharply in August. The Aito M8 recorded 1,498 insurance registrations in August, down 48% from 2,884 in July. Its shipments to dealers dropped to 832 units from 2,324 as Seres readies a refreshed M8 as the first new Aito model under its control. The Li Auto (NASDAQ: LI) L9, which starts at 459,800 CNY (c. $68,500), fell to 1,771 registrations from 3,985, down 56%. The Aito M9, priced from 479,800 CNY (c. $71,500), held steady at 9,507, down 3% from 9,844.

Aistaland's first model shows how far early orders and registrations can diverge. Its GT7 shooting brake drew more than 10,000 pre-orders within five hours of opening its presale in late May, then posted 769 registrations in July and 1,202 in August after its June 26, 2026 launch. The brand's GX7 opened presale with more than 20,000 orders in 18 hours, ahead of its September 23 launch.

Epicland's own numbers need similar care. The X9 drew more than 20,000 orders in the first 24 hours of presale, but the brand did not say what deposit those orders required, while the 9,157 post-launch figure counts locked-in orders only.

Retail reach is the other open variable. Epicland said it is opening more than 300 user centers across 79 cities, a network it has to build without the Huawei retail stores that sell HIMA models. Whether those 9,157 locked orders turn into registrations at an M9-like pace or a GT7-like pace will become clear once the X9's first monthly registration figures are published.

Conversion rate: 1 USD = 6.7121 CNY as of September 26, 2026.