2026 Beijing Auto Show | New AITO M9 Debuts with World’s First 6-LiDAR System, China‘s 500K-Yuan Intelligent Luxury SUV Takes on BBA in Middle East

April 24, 2026, Beijing – Under the theme “Leading the Era, Intelligent Future,” the 2026 Beijing International Automotive Exhibition officially opened, with the new AITOUAE AITOKSA AITOKuwait AITOQatar AITOOman AITOBahrain AITOEgypt AITO M9 making its first public appearance. Dubbed the “Luxury Tech Emperor of the 500,000-yuan class,” this panoramic intelligent flagship SUV, featuring the world’s first 6-LiDAR solution and Huawei‘s full-stack intelligent technologies, has become one of the most anticipated Chinese flagship models at this year’s show. Internationally, the AITO M9 has also drawn significant attention. In February 2026, AITO signed a strategic partnership agreement with Abu Dhabi Motors (ADM), a leading luxury automotive dealer group in the UAE, marking its official entry into the Middle East‘s premium new energy vehicle market. The first batch of 200 units has already been ordered, with the AITO M9’s final price in the UAE set at approximately 500,000 AED (around 1 million–1.1 million RMB), directly competing with the BMW X7Bahrain BMW X7Egypt BMW X7KSA BMW X7Kuwait BMW X7Oman BMW X7Qatar BMW X7UAE BMW X7 and Mercedes GLS.

1. Intelligent Driving: World‘s First 6-LiDAR System, a Generational Leap in Sensing

The most significant upgrade of the new AITO M9 is the generational leap in its autonomous driving hardware. The vehicle debuts with a 6-LiDAR configuration — one all-new 896-line image-grade dual-optical-path LiDAR, four high-precision solid-state LiDAR units, and one in-cabin LiDAR vision sensor. The 896-line LiDAR is the world‘s highest-line-count production image-grade LiDAR, achieving “image-grade” resolution that can accurately detect low obstacles as small as 14 cm in height at a distance of 120 meters, dramatically improving perception accuracy and redundancy in complex environments.

This hardware suite provides ample redundancy for L3 autonomous driving. Paired with Huawei’s Qiankun ADS 3.0 system, the new AITO M9 delivers full-scenario autonomous driving capabilities, including Highway NCA, Urban NCA and AVP valet parking. In a head-to-head autonomous driving test between the Xpeng G9KSA Xpeng G9UAE Xpeng G9, Li Auto L9KSA Li Auto L9UAE Li Auto L9Bahrain Li Auto L9Egypt Li Auto L9Kuwait Li Auto L9Oman Li Auto L9Qatar Li Auto L9 and AITO M9, the AITO M9 excelled in complex urban road tests, demonstrating more refined strategy tuning and dynamic adjustment of driving behavior based on scenarios.

AITO M9 vs Competitors – ADAS Hardware Comparison

Data source: Publicly available information. Actual performance subject to official specifications.

2. Powertrain & Range: Extended-Range and Pure-Electric Options, up to 335km of Pure Electric Range

The new AITO M9 is available in both extended-range and pure-electric versions. The extended-range version continues to use a 1.5T engine as a range extender with a maximum output of 118 kW, paired with a ternary lithium battery pack. Pure electric range has been significantly upgraded, with declared ranges of 250km, 255km, 265km, 315km, 320km and 335km, a notable improvement over the previous model. The pure-electric version maintains industry-leading range and charging efficiency.

AITO M9 vs Competitors – Powertrain & Range Comparison

Data source: MIIT declarations and public information. Actual range affected by driving habits, road conditions and ambient temperature.

3. Dimensions & Comfort: Significantly Enlarged, “Three-Row Undifferentiated Luxury”

The new AITO M9‘s body dimensions have been comprehensively upgraded. Length, width and height measure 5,285mm, 2,026mm and 1,845mm respectively, with a wheelbase of 3,125mm — a noticeable increase in width and height, as well as a 15mm longer wheelbase compared to the previous generation‘s 5,230mm × 1,999mm × 1,800mm. Thanks to the 3,125mm long wheelbase and flat floor design, the cabin space reaches 2,725mm, achieving a “three-row undifferentiated luxury” experience.

On the chassis front, the new AITO M9 is equipped with Huawei‘s Turing intelligent chassis, featuring intelligent adjustable air suspension and CDC continuously variable damping shock absorbers, balancing comfort and handling stability. The Hongmeng cockpit is powered by the Kirin 9610A automotive-grade chip and Hongmeng 4.0 system, supporting seamless cross-device connectivity, multi-screen interaction and AI voice assistant.

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4. Middle East Market: First Batch of 200 Units Ordered in UAE, Taking on BBA Head-On

On February 6, 2026, AITO signed a strategic partnership agreement with Abu Dhabi Motors (ADM), a leading luxury automotive dealer group in the UAE, in Chongqing. ADM will be fully responsible for AITO‘s sales, delivery and after-sales service in the UAE, as well as establishing brand experience centers. This marks the first time a Chinese luxury automotive brand has gone overseas with a complete brand-level system.

To date, AITO has completed software and hardware localization adaptation and regulatory certification for its entire lineup in the UAE. The first batch of vehicles has arrived at Dubai Port and is ready for delivery, enabling immediate availability upon market launch. On February 27, Kang Bo, Vice President of Seres Group, announced that AITO had quickly secured an initial order of 200 units in the UAE, achieving a strong start in the Middle East market.

On the pricing front, taking the AITO M9‘s domestic price of approximately 500,000 RMB as an example, under the UAE‘s tax structure of 5% customs duty and 5% VAT, after adding transportation, certification and localization service costs, the final price is set at approximately 500,000 AED (around 1 million–1.1 million RMB), directly competing with the BMW X7 and Mercedes GLS in their mainstream price ranges.

The arrival of the AITO M9 in the UAE marks the first time a Chinese brand has directly competed with BBA in the Middle East luxury car market through technological strength rather than price advantage. With the same budget, UAE consumers can choose a traditional German luxury flagship on the left side of the showroom, or a Chinese intelligent EV powered by Huawei‘s Qiankun ADS and Hongmeng cockpit on the right. AITO is not seeking to win over the market with “value for money,” but is competing on equal footing with German brands through “technology-led luxury.”

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q: What is the domestic price of the 2026 AITO M9?
A: The 2026 AITO M9 officially launched in March 2026, with a manufacturer‘s suggested retail price ranging from 469,800 to 589,800 yuan. It is available in both extended-range and pure-electric versions, with 4-seat, 5-seat and 6-seat layout options.

Q: What is the price of the AITO M9 in the UAE?
A: The AITO M9’s final price in the UAE is approximately 500,000 AED (around 1 million–1.1 million RMB), directly competing with the BMW X7 and Mercedes GLS. This pricing considers the 5% customs duty, 5% VAT, and costs for transportation, certification and localization services.

Q: Can the AITO M9‘s autonomous driving adapt to the Middle East‘s high-temperature desert environment?
A: Yes. AITO has completed deep localization adaptation for the UAE market, including multi-language systems, high-temperature environment optimization and comprehensive software and hardware adjustments for local driving scenarios, with local potential users invited to participate in product localization development. Huawei’s Turing intelligent chassis and thermal management system are designed to effectively handle the UAE‘s summer temperatures reaching up to 50°C.

Q: When will the new AITO M9 be delivered in the Middle East?
A: The first batch of vehicles has arrived at Dubai Port and is ready for delivery, enabling immediate availability upon market launch. The initial order of 200 units is being scheduled for production and will be shipped upon completion.

Q: Between the AITO M9, Li Auto L9 and Xpeng G9, which is better suited for a UAE family?
A: The three models have distinct positioning. The AITO M9 features Huawei‘s full-stack technology as its core selling point, with the most advanced ADAS hardware (6 LiDAR units), making it suitable for users who value technology-led luxury and brand prestige. The Li Auto L9 focuses on family scenarios and comfort features, while the Xpeng G9 stands out with its Turing AI chip and high computing power. We recommend comparing detailed specifications and resale value data for all three models on the cartea App.