Dongfeng Motor to Launch New EV Brand in Deeper Tie-Up With Huawei

Dongfeng Motor Group is preparing to launch a NEV brand, internally codenamed “XY,” with its first model slated for release as early as the fourth quarter of 2026.

On September 17, Chinese media reported that Dongfeng Motor Group is preparing to launch a new energy vehicle (NEV) brand, internally codenamed “XY.” The new entity is expected to be established in the near term, with its first model scheduled for release as early as the fourth quarter of 2026.

Notably, the project goes beyond Dongfeng’s existing collaboration with Huawei in intelligent vehicle technology.

Sources suggest that the two companies may pursue deeper integration across R&D, product development, and marketing, in a model seen as similar to GAC’s partnership with Huawei-backed Huawang Auto.

Unlike new capacity buildouts, XY will leverage Dongfeng Nissan’s existing manufacturing system. Renovation has already begun at Nissan’s Xiangyang plant, which was launched more than a week ago.

The Xiangyang facility has long produced Nissan’s mid-to-high-end models and once served as the birthplace of flagships such as Teana and Infiniti, with an annual capacity exceeding 200,000 units.

However, as demand for these combustion models has steadily declined, utilization rates have fallen. Dongfeng aims to repurpose the plant for intelligent EVs, setting a long-term production target of 300,000 vehicles per year.

In terms of collaboration model, the XY project could extend beyond the conventional Huawei Inside (HI) framework.

Beyond supplying smart cockpit and intelligent driving systems, Huawei is expected to play a role in product definition, brand building, and even management processes, signaling a more integrated “HI Plus” approach.

GAC’s Huawei-backed Huawang Auto has already adopted a similar model, while Dongfeng’s M-Hero brand has also partnered with Huawei under this framework.

This is not the first time Dongfeng and Huawei have worked together. The automaker’s premium EV brand Voyah and mainstream EV marque eπ have both adopted Huawei’s intelligent systems.

In May this year, Dongfeng signed a comprehensive strategic cooperation agreement with Huawei, including plans to establish a joint innovation lab.

What sets XY apart is its ambition to serve as a “second Voyah”—a fully independent company and brand built from the ground up, designed to showcase the deep integration between Dongfeng and Huawei.