Avatr T09: three-motor PHEV flagship SUV with six seats tipped to debut by end of 2026

Avatr is readying a new range-topper. The T09, a six-seat large SUV, has appeared in China's MIIT type-approval filings, and the paperwork points to a plug-in hybrid exclusively, built around a three-motor electric drive. Once launched, it will go up against the Aito M9, Li Auto L9, Denza N9 and IM LS9, with an official debut expected before the year is out.

The filing describes a substantial machine: 5,285 mm long, 2,025 mm wide, up to 1,820 mm tall, riding on a 3,150 mm wheelbase. Visually it stays within the brand's established language — split headlights up front, a light bar stretching across the tail, and sensors integrated into the roof.

Two drivetrain variants are listed. The leading version combines a 2.0-litre turbo four (211 PS) with three electric motors — a pair of 306 PS units on the rear axle and a 245 PS motor up front — for a claimed 3,035 kg kerb weight. The alternative swaps in a 1.5-litre turbo (150 PS) plus two motors rated at 245 PS front and 421 PS rear, weighing 2,880 or 2,968 kg depending on specification. Both top out at 220 km/h. A 71.24 kWh NMC battery, supplied by a CATL affiliate in Sichuan, supports roughly 300–330 km of electric-only driving, though the filing doesn't specify whether that figure follows the CLTC cycle.

Beyond hardware, the T09 is expected to run Huawei's Qiankun ADS 5 driver-assistance system with as many as four LiDAR units, and Avatr has described it as one of its most deeply Huawei-co-developed projects to date. Commercially it carries weight too: Avatr moved 35,250 cars over the first seven months of 2026 — about 5,040 a month — leaving it well adrift of Nio and Xpeng. The five-seat 07L, launched on 8 August from 219,900 yuan to challenge the Xiaomi YU7, slots in beneath it, while the flagship T09 will command a higher price.