Seres and ByteDance Launch New Brand "SaiDou," Targeting Mass Market at RMB 100,000–200,000

Seres has launched a new automotive brand, "Serdou," shifting away from its previous collaboration model with Huawei and instead entering into a deep partnership with ByteDance. Positioned in the RMB 100,000–200,000 price range, Serdou targets the mass market, clearly differentiating itself from Seres’ existing premium brand, Aito. At the end of May 2024, Chongqing Landian Technology Co., Ltd. was renamed Chongqing Serdou Technology Co., Ltd. In a subsequent capital increase and share expansion round, Sha Ci Zhi Yuan—a state-owned investment platform controlled by Chongqing’s Shapingba District—led the investment with RMB 3.45 billion. Seres retained approximately 33% equity, while Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. Limited (CATL) acquired nearly 10% through its wholly owned subsidiary, Wending Investment. Total funding raised reached RMB 6.67 billion, with auto parts suppliers such as Bojun Technology and Xingyu Shares also participating through equity investments. Currently, Seres’ revenue is heavily reliant on the Aito brand, which contributed over 90% of total revenue in Q1 2026. As Huawei expands collaborations with multiple automakers, Aito’s uniqueness has diminished, prompting Seres to pursue a more diversified strategy. Under the Serdou brand, Seres is responsible for vehicle hardware, chassis, and powertrain systems, while Volcano Engine—ByteDance’s cloud and AI arm—plays a key role in developing the intelligent cockpit and AI systems. This includes defining sensor parameters, designing the AI Box computing architecture, and shaping overall product specifications. The brand’s core feature is the Doubao large AI model, already deployed in over 7 million vehicles, aiming to deliver an intelligent cockpit experience capable of autonomous reasoning and continuous learning. Serdou’s debut model will be a crossover SUV, offered in both extended-range electric and battery-electric variants, targeting the highly competitive RMB 100,000–200,000 segment.