Shangjie Targets the $21,000–$28,000 Market, HIMA Bets Big

HIMA’s sub-brand Shangjie launches an entry-level SUV with advanced driver assistance, targeting the fiercely competitive $21,000–$28,000 EV segment.

After Zeekr, Li Auto, and ONVO made their moves, Harmony Intelligent Mobility Alliance (HIMA) refuses to be left behind. On the morning of July 11, Richard Yu announced that Shangjie, the fifth sub-brand under HIMA, will officially debut this fall.

The promotional poster reveals the side silhouette of Shangjie’s first model, showing signature features like an “smart driving blue light” and LiDAR.

“Shangjie” was first leaked in late 2024 and officially confirmed in April 2025. At the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) International Auto in June, Richard Yu disclosed that SAIC Motor’s strong partnership proposal convinced Huawei to greenlight Shangjie as the last brand under the Smart Selection model in the near future.

Based on prior information, Shangjie’s first model targets the RMB 150,000–200,000 ($21,000–$28,000) market, positioned as an entry-level SUV featuring the “high-end” or even “fully equipped” version of the Qiankun ADS intelligent driving system.

However, the RMB 150–200K ($21,000–$28,000) segment has become one of the most fiercely contested markets.

On July 10, Leapmotor refreshed the C11, and ONVO’s L90 entered the fray with its BaaS model.

Combined with existing players like BYD’s Song Plus series, XPeng G6, and ONVO L60, Shangjie faces stiff competition.

Can HIMA’s signature advanced driver assistance system truly make the difference?

The “Favored Child” Treatment

ChinaEVHome previously reported on the origins of the Shangjie project.

Rumors suggest that Shangjie’s first model is redeveloped from the Rising ES39 project, built on the Modular Scalable Platform (MSP), originally conceived as a pure electric SUV.

SAIC Motor introduced the MSP in 2022, supporting 800V architecture and 51–150 kWh battery packs. In February 2025, it was revealed that the Shangjie model might also feature SAIC Motor’s proprietary range-extender system, suggesting dual powertrain options.

Earlier spy shots showed a camouflaged MG-badged vehicle overseas, believed to be the ES39 prototype.

Comparing the spy shots with the teaser, the lighting designs have evolved, hinting at further design refinement for production. Whether Shangjie adopts the family design language of other HIMA SUVs like AITO and LUXEED remains to be seen.

Leaked renders reveal more product details.

Reportedly, the vehicle is equipped with the same 192-line LiDAR as the AITO M9 and MAEXTRO S800, paired with Huawei’s latest 4D millimeter-wave radars.

Richard Yu previously mentioned that this LiDAR costs 12,000 RMB ($1,650). While this fits flagship models like the M9 or S800, putting it in a sub-200,000 RMB ($28,000) vehicle makes it an exceptional value.

With over 200 meters of scanning range and centimeter-level precision, this LiDAR is critical for enabling high-level autonomous driving in Huawei’s flagship models.

Equipping the Shangjie with such advanced LiDAR and Huawei’s latest radars clearly signals that, as the “favored child,” Shangjie will not compromise on intelligent driving despite its price positioning.

This contrasts with other vehicles using Huawei’s ADS SE system, which relies on vision-based perception. ADS SE excels in highway NOA and urban commuting but lacks nationwide urban navigation assistance.

As the “favored child,” Shangjie might also receive features usually reserved for higher-priced vehicles, like the Tuling chassis and the Jujing platform, boosting overall competitiveness.

An Uphill Battle

Shangjie’s positioning and features make it well-equipped to chase volume sales.

But helping HIMA achieve its ambitious 1 million-unit annual target remains a monumental challenge.

In June 2025, despite the AITO M8’s strong performance (over 21,000 units delivered), total monthly deliveries reached only 52,747 units.

HIMA delivered 44,500 units in May, showing over 15% month-over-month growth. With Shangjie’s fall launch, continued monthly growth is likely.

However, with just over 200,000 units delivered in the first half, the brand needs to deliver nearly 800,000 units in the next six months—about 130,000 per month.

This is a staggering figure. Compared to June’s ~53,000 units, there’s a monthly gap of 70,000–80,000 units. Can Shangjie fill it?

Judging by HIMA’s current lineup, prospects are uncertain. Aside from the AITO series, other sub-brands haven’t replicated its success.

STELATO and MAEXTRO are positioned for the high end and aren’t volume drivers. LUXEED S7, despite several updates, still sells modestly (491 units in June 2025), and the R7 has declined to 3,194 units.

LUXEED has tried hard but still lags AITO in sales. Shangjie’s mission is not just to catch up, but to surpass AITO—a formidable task.

Moreover, the RMB 150,000–200,000 ($21,000–$28,000) segment is one of the most cutthroat in the industry.

The refreshed Leapmotor C11 offers both range-extender and pure electric variants, with peak sales of 12,000 units. XPeng’s G6, purely electric, has reached up to 8,700 units.

In the broader NEV category, BYD’s Song Plus leads with over 13,000 units monthly. Formula Leopard 3 also posts strong results, exceeding 12,000 units.

Widening the comparison to all powertrains, Shangjie faces tough rivals like Geely Xingyue L (21,000 units), FAW Toyota RAV4 (19,000 units), and Honda CR-V (17,000 units).

And we haven’t yet seen ONVO’s L80, a smaller five-seater likely priced below the L90’s 193,900 RMB ($26,700) with BaaS.

To ensure Shangjie’s success, SAIC Motor has reportedly pledged to “accept only success,” investing 6 billion RMB ($825 million) in a dedicated factory and assembling a 5,000-person team.

But arguably, HIMA needs Shangjie even more.

First, it needs a new sales pillar beyond AITO, especially in the sub-200,000 RMB ($28,000) market. Second, it must prove the Smart Selection model can dominate across all price segments—from the 500,000 RMB ($69,000) M9 to 200,000 RMB ($28,000) SUVs.

With joint efforts from SAIC Motor and Huawei, Shangjie could debut with highly competitive pricing, features, and marketing—potentially even more aggressive than the other four sub-brands.

The RMB 150,000–200,000 ($21,000–$28,000) NEV SUV market looks set for a fierce showdown.