On August 8, Avatr VP Yong Jun stated at a media event that cooperation with Huawei is not a "necessary item," triggering widespread market concern. On August 10, Avatr urgently responded that the statement was misinterpreted and emphasized that the partnership with Huawei remains solid. The incident reflects the delicate balance between automakers and tech companies in the smart EV era.
The Origin: How One Comment Rocked the Market
On August 8, at a media communication event, Avatr Technology VP Yong Jun told reporters that he does not consider the cooperation model with Huawei to be a "necessary item", because Avatr possesses differentiated capabilities. This remark quickly sent ripples through the market.
Yong Jun's full context was this: Avatr has consistently adopted Huawei's best Qian Kun ADAS technology, ensuring Avatr remains in the top tier for perception capabilities. This is because Avatr is the second-largest shareholder of Yinwang—Huawei's intelligent automotive solutions subsidiary. However, he emphasized that the deep cooperation with Huawei is based on the technological leadership of Huawei, and "the optimal solution today doesn't mean this cooperation will be bound forever." All partner choices are based on Avatr's own brand needs, and Avatr hopes to autonomously select the most leading technology partners.
These words were interpreted as Avatr intending to "de-Huawei-ize," immediately triggering speculation about the relationship. As the brand with the longest, deepest, and broadest cooperation with Huawei in the smart EV space, any signal from Avatr moves capital markets.
Emergency Clarification: The Real Meaning Behind the "Misinterpretation"
Facing the market's over-interpretation, Avatr responded swiftly on August 10. The official statement said the remark was a misinterpretation of the original intent, and Avatr did not deny the value of cooperating with Huawei.
The core of the clarification: Yong Jun was referring to there being no need for Yinwang to build a customized ADAS version exclusively for Avatr—not that cooperation with Huawei was unnecessary. Avatr continues to use Huawei Qian Kun ADAS technology, and the two sides maintain deep cooperation.
In other words, Avatr wants to use Huawei Qian Kun's standard version of ADAS technology rather than requesting a custom version. Behind this desire lies both cost-control considerations and a strategic intent to maintain greater autonomy in technology partnerships.
The Foundation: Shareholder Status and Years of Deep Binding
To understand this controversy, one must first understand the foundation of the Avatr-Huawei relationship.
Avatr was jointly created by Changan, Huawei, and CATL, carrying strong "Huawei genes" from birth. Avatr is not only a deep user of Huawei's ADAS technology but also the second-largest shareholder of Yinwang, Huawei's intelligent vehicle solutions subsidiary. This means their relationship has long surpassed a simple supplier-customer model and entered a "co-creation + shareholder" dual-binding phase.
Avatr Technology Chairman Wang Hui has publicly emphasized multiple times: "Huawei cooperation is a strategic resource, but absolutely not a free ride. Avatr's uniqueness lies in the dual binding of 'co-creation + shareholder'." Under this model, Huawei's cutting-edge technologies will debut on Avatr products first, with jointly developed innovations becoming available to other brands only after a certain period.
Currently, Avatr models including the 06, 07, 11, and 12 all feature Huawei Qian Kun ADS systems and native HarmonyOS. In 2025, Avatr's annual sales exceeded 120,000 units, with sales surpassing 10,000 for 10 consecutive months, firmly establishing itself in the top tier of new forces.
Product Roadmap: Four Huawei Co-Created Models Coming in 2026
In fact, the Avatr-Huawei cooperation is not loosening but deepening.
According to official disclosures, Avatr will launch four Huawei co-created models in 2026, significantly increasing product volume. Their cooperation model has evolved from the original HI mode to the HI PLUS joint co-creation mode, expanding to user insights, product definition, integrated marketing, and other full-spectrum areas. Avatr is pushing forward a "deep Huawei-system transformation" in decision-making mechanisms, process efficiency, and talent allocation.
The 2026 Avatr 07 model integrates both Huawei Qian Kun ADS 4 and HarmonySpace 5, equipped with a 192-line LiDAR and three new 4D millimeter-wave radars—arguably one of the most "Huawei-rich" mass-production vehicles. The Avatr 07L has also appeared in MIIT filings, expected to be among the first to carry Huawei Qian Kun ADS 5.
Additionally, Avatr is accelerating its globalization with Europe as the priority market. For its IPO, Avatr has initiated preparatory work, targeting completion by the end of 2026 with the goal of becoming a global smart EV brand.
Industry Perspective: The Automaker-Tech Company Balancing Act
This incident also reflects a universal industry question in the smart EV era: Where is the boundary between automakers and tech companies?
For brands like Avatr, Huawei's technology empowerment is undoubtedly a strategically scarce resource. But as Huawei's ADAS ecosystem expands—with brands like AITO, Luxeed, and Stelato joining—Avatr must consider how to maintain differentiated competitiveness within the "Huawei family."
Avatr's response actually sends a clear signal: cooperation is necessary, but the form of cooperation can evolve dynamically. Using Huawei Qian Kun's standard version rather than a custom version allows Avatr to enjoy first-tier Huawei capabilities while reducing R&D costs, accelerating product iteration, and preserving future technology flexibility.
From a longer-term perspective, this "Rashomon" is more a case of normal business communication being amplified by capital markets. The Avatr-Huawei foundation is deep, and short-term rhetoric won't change the strategic binding between the two sides.
| Avatr × Huawei Cooperation Timeline | |
|---|---|
| 2019 | Partnership established, co-created HI mode |
| Apr 2023 | Avatr models upgraded to native HarmonyOS |
| 2025 | HI mode upgraded to HI PLUS joint co-creation |
| 2025 | Annual sales exceed 120,000, 10 consecutive months above 10K |
| 2026 | 4 Huawei co-created models planned |
| Aug 8, 2026 | VP Yong Jun's "non-essential" remarks spark attention |
| Aug 10, 2026 | Avatr clarifies: misinterpretation, cooperation solid |
Conclusion
The Avatr-Huawei "Rashomon" is fundamentally a reflection of capital markets' hypersensitivity to key relationships in the smart EV supply chain. Factually, the two sides' cooperation is deeply rooted, with clear product plans, and a "breakup" is not on the horizon. For consumers, what matters more is the four Huawei co-created products Avatr will launch in 2026 and the continued breakthroughs in ADAS and smart cockpit technology. For more information, visit EX1000.COM.
