AITO M9 and NIO ES9 Launch on Same Day, Executives Tout Tech Superiority

On May 27, two flagship SUVs—AITO M9 and NIO ES9—were launched on the same day. At the launch event, Yu Chengdong, Executive Director of Huawei and Chairman of Huawei Consumer BG, declared that the AITO M9 is “the most powerful SUV on Earth, at least two years ahead of the industry,” calling it “the most performance-oriented SUV among all models priced under RMB 5 million—and even under RMB 10 million—that have already hit the market.” Priced between RMB 479,800 and RMB 659,800, the AITO M9 features over 140 innovative technologies, equipped with 40 driver-assistance sensors and a six-LiDAR array, including a primary 896-line LiDAR. It debuts Huawei’s Qiankun ADS 5 intelligent driving system. The chassis adopts a front double-wishbone and rear multi-link independent suspension setup, complemented by a closed dual-chamber air suspension, dual-valve continuously variable damping shock absorbers, rear-wheel steering (±8 degrees), and an 800V active suspension system. It also supports an intelligent preview control system enabling independent four-wheel control and automatic adaptation to various road conditions. At the ES9 launch event, NIO founder William Li emphasized that the vehicle’s integrated 48V active suspension “is a full generation ahead of 400V/800V split-type solutions,” offering five key advantages: greater agility, precision, energy efficiency, quietness, and comprehensiveness. He predicted this technology would become the standard for next-generation EVs. The NIO ES9 offers a battery-as-a-service (BaaS) option, starting at RMB 390,000 (with battery rental) or RMB 498,000 (with battery purchase). The top-tier Executive Signature Edition is priced at RMB 558,000 (or RMB 450,000 with BaaS). All trims come standard with a 900V high-voltage architecture, dual motors, a 102 kWh battery, steer-by-wire, rear-wheel steering (up to ±8.4 degrees), NIO’s proprietary NX9031 autonomous driving chip, Zero-Gravity Executive Seats, and the Jiutian Qin audio system. The integrated 48V active suspension is available only on the Executive Signature Edition and above, supporting features such as high-precision road preview, wheel lift when crossing speed bumps, and automatic suspension lowering (up to 70 mm) in low-clearance parking garages.