Huawei-backed electric vehicle brands Aito and Luxeed have paused all online advertising campaigns on popular Chinese auto service platforms Autohome, Yiche, and Dongchedi, as part of a move seen as aimed at pursuing a more direct sales strategy and reported by multiple Chinese media outlets. All content collaborations have been suspended until a new deal is reached, a Huawei representative told Jiemian on Wednesday, adding that the prior contracts expired recently, without revealing further details. Sources added that Huawei-backed EV makers now see only a very small proportion of offline sales driven by digital advertising, thanks to Huawei’s already strong brand awareness in the Chinese technology sector. The news also comes as Huawei reportedly plans to run 800 car showrooms this year under a new brand called the Harmony Intelligent Mobility Alliance and to expand its footprint with 1,000 sales locations by 2025. Separately, an Aito M7 crossover was among the worst performers in a winter test for real-world driving range organized by Dongchedi last month. Aito later responded by saying the heater on the vehicle was on for more than an hour before the test, challenging the accuracy of the evaluation. [Jiemian, in Chinese]
Related
