Gasgoo Munich-On April 7, SAIC-GM-Wuling officially unveiled the first model under its new high-end smart new energy brand, "Huajing" — the Huajing S. This large six-seat SUV, which comes standard with Huawei's Qiankun driver assistance solution across all trims, simultaneously opened pre-orders with a 1,000 yuan deposit against a 5,000 yuan discount, and announced it will officially launch in the first half of this year.
Judging by the spec sheet, the Huajing S packs serious hardware strength, featuring top-tier industry supply chain resources like Huawei's Qiankun driver assistance solution, HarmonySpace smart cockpit, CATL batteries, and Baosteel's 2,000 MPa ultra-high-strength steel. But a more pressing question remains: When a company built on the ethos of "Wuling builds whatever the people need" starts talking about "the beauty of gentle technology," will the market buy it?
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A Fully Loaded Spec Sheet
First, let's look at the Huajing S's core product strengths.
On the intelligent driving front, the new model comes standard with Huawei Qiankun ADS Pro. Upon launch, it supports urban navigation assistance, highway navigation assistance, and a suite of parking functions, with campus navigation assistance expected to be unlocked via OTA in the second half of the year.
This strategy places the Huajing S on the same starting line as Huawei's star "Jie"-series models in terms of intelligent driving completeness. Notably, the Huajing S is also among the first to feature Huawei Qiankun's pioneering in-cabin laser vision technology, Limera. According to officials, this fuses LiDAR with visual perception to significantly improve the detection of small obstacles.
Official test data shows the system successfully handled scenarios such as a leading vehicle suddenly vanishing at 130 km/h, a child darting out at 70 km/h at night, and continuous obstacle avoidance at 110 km/h in the dark. Its performance already meets the requirements of the pending strict standards for combined driving assistance.
Theoretically, the actual performance of this system has reached the first tier of the industry.
Inside, the HarmonySpace 5 cockpit is a given, offering mature features within the Huawei ecosystem like seamless multi-device connectivity, multi-zone voice control, and custom scene modes. The Qiankun vehicle cloud system, equipped with NearLink digital keys and Sentry mode, boasts improved signal strength and positioning accuracy, alongside top-tier cybersecurity certifications. Add in the latest centralized EEA 4.0 architecture for millisecond response and over-the-air updates, and the Huajing S shows no obvious weaknesses in its underlying intelligence.
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Safety is a key selling point. Partnering with Baosteel, the new car uses nuclear-submarine-grade 2,000 MPa ultra-high-strength steel and integrated hot-forming technology. This includes a world-first one-piece hot-formed front floor frame and industry-leading one-piece hot-formed door rings, constructing a "five-longitudinal, eleven-transverse" underbody structure, a cage-style six-ring body frame, and four doors with eight 2,000 MPa anti-collision beams.
The Huajing S also successfully passed an industry-first "80 km/h side impact followed by a 15m high-slope drop and rollover" extreme challenge, earning a CATARC TOP Safety certificate.
For powertrain safety, the Shenlian Battery 3.0 uses CATL's super range-extending hybrid cells, claiming 76.6 billion kilometers with zero spontaneous combustion. The bare cells withstood a 1,500 Joule bottom impact (ten times the new national standard energy) without catching fire or exploding, while also passing four serial tests that exceed current standards.
In terms of space and comfort, the Huajing S features a genuine three-row, six-seat layout. It can carry seven suitcases with all six seats occupied—a compelling figure. Targeting family pain points, it also includes an intelligent anti-motion sickness system, 46 acoustic packages, and full-car soundproof glass for a quiet cabin.
On power, the Lingxi Powertrain 3.0 pairs with an intelligent on-demand AWD system, delivering 386 kW of combined power and 620 Nm of peak torque. The 0-100 km/h sprint takes about 5 seconds. Fuel consumption is 6.98 L/100 km for the AWD version and as low as 5.98 L/100 km for the two-wheel drive, with a total range exceeding 1,100 km on a full tank and charge.
Overall, the Huajing S's product strength shows a clear characteristic: no obvious weaknesses. It is fully loaded with Huawei Qiankun, CATL batteries, and Baosteel steel. However, competitors at this level aren't far behind in these areas either. So the question arises: With product choices already abundant and supply chain convergence becoming the industry norm, what exactly will the Huajing S rely on to build its brand moat? How will it truly get end users to pay for SAIC-GM-Wuling's high-end offering?
There may be many answers, but the one carrying the most weight is likely Huawei's empowerment.
How Powerful Is the Huawei Effect?
SAIC-GM-Wuling's partnership with Huawei Qiankun is not a simple parts procurement relationship; it is a full-stack empowerment spanning intelligent driving, cockpit, and vehicle cloud. While this deep binding can rapidly boost intelligence levels and help the Huajing S compete head-on with top-tier startups at launch, it also carries the long-term risk of blurring brand identity.
The market already features a complex matrix of brands deeply tied to Huawei. AITO represents Huawei's Smart Selection model, while Avatr is a high-end brand jointly built by Changan, Huawei, and CATL. Brands like Deepal and Voyah have also adopted Huawei solutions to varying degrees.
Huajing is positioned as an independent brand series for SAIC-GM-Wuling's move upmarket, but its place within the Huawei ecosystem isn't entirely clear. When choosing a "Huawei-affiliated" car, consumers likely think of AITO first, followed by Avatr. For the Huajing S to carve out a unique spot in consumer minds is a significant challenge.
Another angle worth noting is that SAIC-GM-Wuling didn't just partner with Huawei; it also integrated top-tier global supply chain resources like CATL, Baosteel, Autoliv, and Yanfeng. This supply chain integration capability itself speaks to SGMW's systemic strength.
As an automaker that once sold over 2 million vehicles annually, SAIC-GM-Wuling has accumulated real expertise in supply chain management, cost control, and manufacturing efficiency. If the Huajing S can maintain high quality while leveraging SGMW's scale advantages to offer competitive pricing, it has a chance to grab market share in the current large six-seat SUV segment.
However, supply chain integration does not equate to brand premium capability. SGMW's past brand equity is concentrated in high-value products like the Wuling Hongguang and Hongguang MINIEV. Consumers know SGMW as "affordable, durable, practical"—a stark cognitive contrast to the "technology, quality, taste" required for a premium brand. While the Huajing brand attempts to establish a new tone with the "beauty of gentle technology" design philosophy, reshaping brand perception takes time, as well as sustained investment in products and marketing.
An external factor to watch is the rapidly intensifying competition in the domestic large six-seat SUV market. In reality, the Huajing S is entering a fiercely contested arena, not a blue ocean. For a latecomer to break through, it needs either a generational advantage in product strength, obvious price competitiveness, or unique brand appeal. Based on current information, the Huajing S still needs to strengthen user perception in all these areas.
Image source: Gasgoo
In summary, SAIC-GM-Wuling's move upmarket is essentially a leapfrog challenge in brand capability. Wuling's past success was built on precisely capturing mass market needs and providing high-value products. But the rules of the premium game are different; consumers are buying not just a product, but a lifestyle, value proposition, and identity. The Huajing S is well-prepared on the product and supply chain side, but it has much homework to do in brand storytelling, user community operations, and service experience.
Huawei Qiankun's empowerment certainly gives the Huajing S the qualification to compete on product strength, but what determines a car's success or a brand's footing is never just the spec sheet. SAIC-GM-Wuling needs to prove it can build not just "cars the people need," but "cars the people aspire to."
