Huawei-backed luxury EV brand Maextro will launch the S800 Grand Design variant in June, with pricing expected to be about 2 million yuan ($293,580). The new trim follows the strong market performance of the standard S800, which has led China’s above-700,000-yuan luxury sedan segment for eight straight months and surpassed 17,000 cumulative deliveries.
Maextro is preparing to expand its luxury sedan lineup with the launch of the S800 Grand Design variant in June, building on the momentum of the standard S800 in China’s ultra-premium market.
Richard Yu, chairman of Huawei’s consumer business group, announced the plan on Weibo and shared exterior images of the new model. He described the design as one that goes beyond the “ultimate” and aims for a more expansive luxury statement.
What changes on the Grand Design version
The Maextro S800 Grand Design has a two-tone silver and blue-green exterior finish, setting it apart visually from the regular model. It is expected to be priced at around 2 million yuan, or about $293,580, and Yu previously said it would be officially released in late June during a live broadcast last month.
The model has already appeared in a filing with China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology earlier this month, which is a standard step before market launch. That filing showed the Grand Design will be offered in both battery electric vehicle (BEV) and extended-range electric vehicle (EREV) versions, matching the powertrain lineup of the standard S800.
Dimensions and platform details
According to the filing, the Grand Design keeps the same body size as the regular Maextro S800. It measures 5,480 mm in length, 2,000 mm in width and 1,536 mm in height, with a wheelbase of 3,370 mm.
Those dimensions place it firmly in the full-size luxury sedan category, where rear-seat space, ride comfort and presence are key selling points. For buyers in this segment, the hardware and styling are often as important as efficiency or range.
Why Maextro matters in China’s luxury EV market
Maextro is a brand jointly developed by Huawei and Anhui Jianghuai Automobile Group, or JAC, and sits under Huawei’s Harmony Intelligent Mobility Alliance, known as HIMA. The brand is part of Huawei’s broader push into the smart vehicle market through partnerships rather than direct vehicle manufacturing.
The standard Maextro S800 has already become one of the strongest performers in China’s high-end sedan market. Yu said the model recorded more than 1,100 insurance registrations in April alone and has now exceeded 17,000 cumulative deliveries.
He also said the S800 has led China’s sedan market above 700,000 yuan for eight consecutive months, with monthly sales roughly matching the combined total of the second- and third-place models in the segment. That suggests the car is resonating with wealthy Chinese buyers at a time when domestic brands are becoming more competitive in the top tier.
Broader product expansion is underway
The S800 Grand Design is not the only new model in Maextro’s pipeline. The brand’s first multi-purpose vehicle, the V800, also completed its regulatory filing earlier this month.
That points to a broader strategy from Maextro: using the S800 as an anchor product while expanding into other premium vehicle categories. If successful, the brand could strengthen Huawei’s influence in the luxury end of China’s electric vehicle market.
Why This Matters
This launch matters because it shows how fast Huawei-linked brands are moving into the highest end of China’s auto market. The S800’s sales performance suggests there is real demand for domestically developed luxury vehicles, even in a segment long dominated by established foreign nameplates.
It also offers another signal that China’s premium EV market is no longer just about technology and range. Styling, exclusivity and brand positioning are becoming increasingly important, especially as companies like Maextro try to win over affluent customers with local alternatives to imported luxury sedans.
Key Specs
- Model: Maextro S800 Grand Design
- Launch timing: June 2026; official rollout expected in late June
- Expected price: Around 2 million yuan ($293,580)
- Exterior: Two-tone silver and blue-green finish
- Powertrain options: BEV and EREV
- Length: 5,480 mm
- Width: 2,000 mm
- Height: 1,536 mm
- Wheelbase: 3,370 mm
- Standard S800 deliveries: More than 17,000 cumulative units
- April insurance registrations: Over 1,100 units
- Segment performance: Led China’s above-700,000-yuan luxury sedan market for eight consecutive months
Source: CNEVposts
