On July 31, 2026, Seres confirmed that its subsidiary Saidou Technology (formerly Landian Technology) completed a capital expansion of approximately 6.67 billion yuan and has been removed from Seres' consolidated financial statements. Chongqing state-backed investors became the largest shareholder with 34.5%, while Seres' stake diluted to 32.96%. AIVA's first mass-produced model, the ME7, is expected to debut within 2026.
Core Event: Capital Restructuring Complete, Saidou Officially Independent
Seres Group announced on July 31 that Chongqing Saidou Technology completed its capital expansion transaction and has been formally removed from Seres Group's consolidated financial statements. This means Seres' accounting method for Saidou will shift from the cost method to the equity method, with investment income expected to increase — the precise impact pending audit confirmation.
The key timeline of this capital maneuver is as follows:
- April 22, 2024: Seres board approves capital increase proposal for Chongqing Saidou Technology
- May 25, 2026: Saidou completes approximately 6.67 billion yuan capital expansion
- May 29, 2026: Landian Technology officially renamed Chongqing Saidou Technology
- June 9, 2026: AIVA brand officially launched; Origin Concept concept car unveiled
- July 31, 2026: Transaction finalized; Saidou removed from Seres consolidated statements
Dramatic Ownership Shift: State Capital Enters as Largest Shareholder
Post-expansion, Saidou's ownership structure has undergone fundamental change:
| Shareholder | Stake | Role Change |
|---|---|---|
| Chongqing Shaci Zhiyuan New Energy Tech Partnership | 34.5% | New largest shareholder (Chongqing state-backed) |
| Seres Group | 32.96% | Former controlling shareholder → second largest |
| CATL (Wending Investment) | 9.89% | Strategic investor (fourth largest) |
| Other investors | Remaining | Including Bojun Industrial, Xingyu Automotive Lighting |
This ownership shift means Saidou has transformed from a Seres-controlled subsidiary to an independent operating entity under state capital control. For Seres, this represents both a financial "lightening" — removing loss-making operations from listed company statements — and a strategic "letting go" — allowing the AIVA brand to develop in a more independent ecosystem.
AIVA Brand: A New Player in AI-Defined Vehicles
Concurrent with its capital restructuring, Saidou officially launched its AI automotive brand AIVA (Artificial Intelligence Voyage Ahead) in June 2026. With the clear positioning of "AI defines the car — first AI, then the car," the brand seeks to transform automobiles from mere transportation tools into embodied AI life forms capable of perception and action.
AIVA's core technology partners include:
- ByteDance's Volcano Engine: Provides Doubao large language model and intelligent cockpit core technologies, enabling multi-modal interaction and emotion perception
- Seres: Provides manufacturing support in vehicle production, supply chain management, and quality systems
- CATL: Delivers energy solutions covering battery technology, battery safety, and charging/swapping systems
- DeepRoute.ai: Autonomous driving technology partner (not Huawei's Qiankun ADS)
AIVA's first mass-produced model, the ME7, is positioned as a coupe SUV, expected to debut in 2026, targeting the above-200,000-yuan mainstream market with both pure electric and extended-range powertrain options.
Strategic Context: Why Seres Is Eager to "De-Huawei"
AIVA's launch cannot be understood without the broader context of Seres' partnership with Huawei. Since April 2021, the AITO brand under Huawei's HIMA smart car model has achieved remarkable success — the M5 delivered over 10,000 units within 87 days of launch, and the M9 has consistently topped sales in China's 500,000-plus-yuan segment. In 2025, Seres sold 472,269 NEVs, with AITO delivering over 420,000 units, representing over 90% of total sales.
However, Huawei's automotive footprint is expanding rapidly. Following AITO, Huawei launched Luxeed with Chery, Stelato with BAIC, Maextro with JAC, and Shangjie with SAIC, creating what the industry calls the "Five Realms" landscape. While AITO still accounts for approximately 70% of HarmonyOS Mobility deliveries, the diversion of Huawei resources is an undeniable reality.
For Seres, AIVA's independent operation represents a proactive strategic adjustment:
- Financial level: Removing Landian/AIVA from consolidated statements reduces the drag of loss-making operations
- Strategic level: Testing Seres' supply chain integration capabilities outside the Huawei ecosystem
- Brand level: Providing a differentiated product line for the above-200,000-yuan market alongside AITO
Notably, Seres' first-half 2026 performance has shown visible pressure — cumulative sales of 196,580 units were roughly flat year-on-year; but June sales were only 36,194 units, down 28.1% year-on-year. The company expects a first-half net loss of 1.5 to 1.8 billion yuan, contrasting sharply with the 2.94 billion yuan net profit a year earlier.
Industry Implications: A New Paradigm of State Control + OEM Equity + Tech Empowerment
The Saidou Technology/AIVA model offers an organizational innovation benchmark for China's auto industry: "state capital control + Seres equity participation + ByteDance technology empowerment + CATL energy support." This multi-party resource integration model ensures policy and industrial resource stability while maintaining flexibility at the technology and market levels.
For automotive buyers and dealers in Central Asia, Russia, and other emerging markets, AIVA's independent operation signals further diversification in China's automotive export landscape. Amid competition among AITO, AIVA, and emerging brands, overseas buyers will have an increasingly rich selection. Readers tracking China's automotive export dynamics can find the latest market intelligence at EX1000.COM.
