Aito has opened pre-sales for the refreshed M8, a large family SUV that now starts at 389,800 yuan (about $54,900) in China. The model, positioned as a "family smart flagship SUV," brings upgrades across design, interior, and powertrain, according to NetEase Auto.
Design and interior upgrades
The new M8 adds two new exterior colors—Sky Blue and Cangrong Green—and sharpens the front fascia with a more pronounced grille and larger air intakes. The SUV measures 5,190 mm long, 1,999 mm wide, and 1,795 mm tall, with a 3,105 mm wheelbase. Inside, Aito introduces two new two-tone color schemes: Sand Brown and Lan Yue White. The cabin features a 17-meter ambient light strip and four wraparound light islands, along with three zero-gravity seats (including front passenger and driver) that offer 10 comfort enhancements. A built-in cooler box can chill or heat from -18°C to 50°C.
Powertrain and range
The M8 is offered as an EREV (range-extender electric vehicle) or a BEV (battery-electric vehicle). The range-extender version uses a 1.5-liter turbo engine producing 118 kW (158 hp) and dual electric motors rated at 170 kW (228 hp) front and 227 kW (304 hp) rear, all integrated into an 800-volt silicon-carbide drive system. Battery choices are 75.4 kWh and 56 kWh, yielding a maximum CLTC pure-electric range of 432 km (about 268 miles). That CLTC figure is roughly 15-20% more optimistic than the WLTP standard, so an estimated WLTP range would be around 350-365 km (217-227 miles). Combined range reaches 1,435 km (892 miles).
The chassis uses an enhanced front double-wishbone and rear five-link suspension with dual-chamber air springs and continuously variable damping. A new rear-wheel steering system offers up to ±8 degrees of steering angle and supports crab-walk mode for easier maneuvering.
Smart driving and pre-sale benefits
Aito says the M8 is built on an architecture ready for L3 autonomous driving, with 38 sensors including a 4-laser-lidar array (one with 896-line dual-optical image-grade resolution) and six surround-view cameras. It runs Huawei's Qiankun ADS 5 system with all-directional fusion perception. The HarmonyOS cockpit adds features like gesture-controlled door opening, media casting between devices, and voice commands that can target specific seats.
Pre-sale customers who place a 5,000 yuan deposit (about $704) before the order lock date can apply it as 10,000 yuan (about $1,408) toward the purchase price.
