Avatr Technology president Chen Zhuo has a simple answer for critics who say the brand's upcoming 9-series flagship looks less like an Avatr: the company is deliberately building two distinct design languages.
In an interview with PCauto at the opening of a 9,000-square-metre flagship store in Shenzhen, Chen said Avatr will not chase universal approval. "A car that is good at everything doesn't exist," he said. "Avatr will not make a middle-of-the-road car for everyone to buy."
Two lines, one brand
Avatr is splitting its lineup into two series. The "pioneer" series, led by the 11 and 12 models, will keep the sharp, avant-garde design that defined the brand. The new "flagship" series, starting with the 9-series, aims for a more stately, elegant look. Chen said the two languages will run in parallel, not replace each other.
The 9-series went through more than 130 design iterations under Nader Faghihzadeh, Avatr's chief design officer, with user feedback tested after each round. "This is Nader's work on dignified luxury," Chen said, adding that the design was locked only after extensive customer research.
More significant is the technology partnership with Huawei. Chen said the 9-series is the first Avatr model co-defined from the start with Huawei, not just fitted with Huawei components after development. "We sat at the same table from product definition to technology," he said. The car will debut Avatr's intelligent super hybrid system, which can switch between range-extender, plug-in hybrid and battery-electric modes, paired with a 71.24 kWh CATL battery that gives a CLTC electric-only range of over 400 km (about 250 miles; WLTP est. around 330-340 km).
The 9-series also gets Huawei's Qiankun ADS 5 driver assistance, a new Taixing chassis control system and Huawei's XMC digital chassis, which Avatr calls "three intelligences in one." The six-seat interior is designed to offer MPV-level boot space.
Going global, not going cheap
Chen's global ambitions are equally distinctive. Avatr launched in Thailand in September 2023, and the right-hand-drive Avatr 11 has been a hit: a deputy prime minister ordered one on the spot, and the model took over 500 orders in three weeks at an average transaction price of 500,000 yuan (about $70,400). In Bhutan, where the population is under 1 million, the king bought one of the first 12 units, which sold out in a week.
In the Middle East, a Qatari royal family member paid $70,000-80,000 for a "0012" licence plate for an Avatr 12. Overseas pricing starts high: the Avatr 11 sells for around 700,000 yuan (about $98,600) abroad, and the Avatr 07 for about 500,000 yuan (about $70,400). In Singapore, the 07 starts above 1 million yuan (about $140,800).
Avatr plans to enter European sales early next year, with about half of its 250 overseas employees headed to the continent. The company expects to be in 43 countries by the end of this year, over 80 by the end of next year, and 110 by 2030. Chen said the board's target is for half of Avatr's sales to come from overseas.
Not every market wants the same car. Spanish dealers who tested the 07 told Avatr it already feels like a D-segment SUV in Europe and suggested a smaller version. Chen said the next-generation 07 will offer both long- and short-wheelbase variants to suit different regions.
Back home, Chen confirmed a next-generation Avatr 11 will debut next year, keeping the brand's signature design DNA. He compared the 11 and 12 to the VW Beetle - cars whose character is written into their silhouette and recognised decades later. "We don't want to make a car that pleases everyone," he said. "We want to serve one type of person deeply."
