Huawei's step back from Aito within the Harmony Intelligent Mobility Alliance has triggered an unusual wave of owner protest on Weibo. Some drivers are swapping their cars' Seres badging for that of DFSK — a maker of budget micro-EVs and vans that began as a Dongfeng–Seres joint venture and is now wholly owned by Seres Auto.
One M7 owner who says he paid more than 300,000 yuan (about 44,800 USD) for his SUV argued that Aito can no longer justify premium pricing without Huawei steering development, and compared Seres' outlook to that of the failed Neta Auto. His post climbed to the second-hottest topic on Weibo, though he still hopes the brand survives — a collapse would leave cars without after-sales support and accelerate depreciation.
DFSK has stayed officially silent, but one of its dealerships is said to have hung a banner welcoming Aito owners and casting the budget brand as their 'parental home' that will keep backing its cars and drivers.
The unease is not baseless. Under the old arrangement, Huawei reportedly pocketed 50,000 yuan (roughly 7,500 USD) from every Aito sold while helping Seres post big profit gains. Whether a Seres-led Aito can still command a premium over its rivals is now an open question.