“/>
Huawei-backed Chinese electric vehicle brand Aito aims to more than double its annual sales to 1 million vehicles by 2030, banking on a push into overseas markets, cutting-edge autonomous driving technology and possibly some unconventional in-car features to get there, Chairman John Zhang told Reuters.
Zhang said Aito, owned by Chongqing-based carmaker Seres Group, expects overseas sales to account for 20 per cent of total volumes within the next three years, up from less than 1 per cent currently as it begins to expand beyond China, the world’s largest car market.
The company plans to enter some northern European markets this year, where EV adoption is higher. Zhang said the brand’s flagship M9 full-size SUV would form part of the initial push.
Aito has launched operations in the Middle East and was close to opening a dealership before the Iran war broke out at the end of February.
“People are not in the mode of paying such big amounts to get on the road,” in the Middle East, Zhang told Reuters on Thursday. “Hopefully we can do something in the second quarter.”
Aito sold 420,000 vehicles in 2025, up nearly 8 per cent from 390,000 cars in 2024, emerging as one of the strongest performers in China’s high-end SUV segment.
Zhang said Aito expects its vehicles will be capable of Level 4 autonomy in 2027, ready for regulatory approval, which he expects to come in about two years.
Under Level 4 autonomy, vehicles can drive themselves without human intervention under certain conditions.
The brand also plans to differentiate itself in the premium segment through unusual technology features, including projector headlights. Aito is also evaluating whether to add an odourless in-car toilet stored beneath a seat.
“When you’ve got to go, you’ve got to go,” he said.
