Stelato, the brand BAIC runs jointly with Huawei under the HIMA alliance, is gearing up to add a minivan called the V8 to a lineup that currently consists of the S9 sedan/wagon family and the G9 crossover. The van had its first showing at the Chengdu auto show in late August, but the company withheld most specifics — even the interior stayed hidden — and has instead been revealing the vehicle bit by bit on Chinese social media.
The seven-seat cabin gets a welcoming trick: when the sliding doors open, the second-row seats swivel toward them for easier boarding, the armrests drop down automatically, and the air suspension can lower the body as well. Measuring 5335 mm long, 2005 mm wide and 1805 mm tall, with a 3250 mm wheelbase shared with the Luxeed V9 from Huawei's venture with Chery, the V8 claims 674 liters of cargo room, growing to 1552 liters with the rear bench folded.
Type-approval filings with China's industry ministry confirm two drivetrains, each all-wheel drive. The hybrid uses a 1.5-liter turbo engine (160 hp) purely as a generator, with the twin electric motors combining for 526 hp; battery options are listed at 56 or 75.4 kWh. The battery-electric version carries the same motors fed by a 120 kWh pack, good for a claimed 830 km on the CLTC cycle. Huawei's driver-assistance suite, including a lidar unit above the windshield, rounds out the tech. A full official presentation is expected shortly.