Smartphone telecom hardware giant, Huawei, has launched the Maextro S800, an electric sedan designed to compete with luxury brands like Rolls-Royce and Mercedes-Maybach at significantly lower prices.
The joint venture with Chinese automaker JAC has already sparked a buying frenzy in China, with 3,600 pre-orders in its first week and 1,600 vehicles sold in just 24 hours. The battery electric car, with a range extender, is built to compete with Mercedes-Maybach.
The Huawei S800 is a futuristic SUV with a sleek fastback design, crystal LED lights, radar-powered auto-opening doors, and active aero. The interior offers tech-luxury with 4- or 5-seat executive layouts, wood and crystal trims, triple displays, a rear console with fold-out tables, cooled cupholders, and a fingerprint-safe, all enhanced by a 43-speaker Huawei Sound Ultimate system.
The S800 is available in pure electric and extended-range electric vehicle (EREV) variants, with the pure electric model featuring a dual-motor setup with 390 kW power and a 95 kWh battery. The EREV variants combine electric motors with a 1.5L turbo engine (115 kW) and a 65 kWh battery, supporting 6C fast charging and 800V architecture. The dual-motor EREV matches 390 kW output, offering 400 km pure electric range, 1,333 km total range, and fuel consumption of 0.09 L/100 km. All variants use Huawei’s Whale Battery 2.0 technology.
The S800 offers 0–100 km/h acceleration in 4.3 seconds, 4.7 seconds (EREV tri-motor), and 4.9 seconds (EREV dual-motor). It also has a tight turning radius of just 5.05 meters and a max crab-walk angle of 16°. The vehicle uses Huawei’s latest ADS 4 intelligent driving system, featuring “AI trains AI” capabilities, Harmony ALPS 2.0 intelligent cockpit, and Huawei Galaxy Communication technology.
Safety is a top priority, with the S800 using Huawei’s new Xuanwu safety architecture, featuring a 10-horizontal and 9-vertical body structure, 2000 MPa integrated door rings, and 53,300 N·m/deg torsional stiffness. The battery design is comprehensive, including five-layer underbody shielding and thermal runaway containment tech, exceeding China’s latest safety regulations.
Huawei’s Maextro S800 launch demonstrates China’s growing dominance in the luxury EV market, offering advanced technology at competitive prices. The sedan’s advanced sensors and fast-charging capabilities improve range and safety, addressing concerns like range anxiety and long charging times.
Huawei’s aggressive pricing and partnerships could pressure luxury brands to innovate or lower prices, benefiting consumers. However, regulatory challenges and global trade tensions could impact Huawei’s expansion plans outside China.
As the market evolves, EV owners and enthusiasts can expect more options, better technology, and potentially lower prices.
