Chery’s First Luxury MPV to Debut Under LUXEED Brand, Sterra E08 Shelved

Amid surging new energy MPV sales, Chery has handed the first-mover opportunity to LUXEED, aiming to leverage the Harmony Intelligent Mobility Alliance (HIMA) ecosystem for a brand breakthrough.

According to Yijian Auto, LUXEED is now leading the development of an all-new MPV based on the E0X-L platform. Internally codenamed “EHV,” the model will offer both battery electric and range-extended versions, powered by CATL batteries, and is expected to launch in the first half of next year.

Originally intended to spearhead Chery’s push into the premium MPV market, the Sterra E08 has now been officially canceled, with some of its project team members reassigned to the LUXEED division.

Insiders noted that the decision to shelve the E08 was primarily strategic. Both MPVs were positioned similarly in terms of pricing, and a simultaneous launch could have led to internal competition. In this niche but growing segment, Chery has chosen to bet on a clear brand channel—LUXEED—rather than continue with a multi-brand parallel approach.

Looking at brand strategies over the past year, LUXEED has been steadily gaining priority in both resource allocation and product planning. Despite the buzz around the S7 at its launch late last year, production bottlenecks limited deliveries, and Chery and Huawei had to undergo a period of coordination. Ultimately, Chery decided to “clear factory space” and temporarily move S7 production to its own production lines.

At the 2025 Future Auto Pioneers Conference, Chery Chairman Yin Tongyue openly stated, “As long as we follow Huawei’s lead, things go smoothly.”

Now, a similar pattern is unfolding again. Rather than saying the E08 was “cut,” it’s more accurate to say it was purposefully set aside to make way for LUXEED.

The MPV segment is heating up. Following the Zeekr 009 and Denza D9, the market has proven its growing acceptance of high-end new energy MPVs. According to CPCA data, sales of new energy MPVs grew nearly 50% year-over-year in the first half of this year. For Chery, it’s more pragmatic to fight this battle under the LUXEED banner than to invest in building up yet another series.

From both brand positioning and pricing potential, LUXEED is better suited to carry a luxury MPV offering. Its mainstream models already start at higher price points than the Sterra lineup and, with Huawei’s technology endorsement, the brand has more attention-grabbing appeal.

The withdrawal of the Sterra E08 removes any in-house competition for the EHV. As long as the vehicle is mass-produced and launched on schedule, Luxeed could claim the title of “first MPV under HIMA” and use this opportunity to regain momentum.