SHANGHAI (Reuters) – China’s Huawei Applied sciences is partnering with extra legacy automakers to provide Aito-branded electrical automobiles, the corporate’s senior govt mentioned on Saturday, in a transfer to increase its presence within the auto business.

Huawei will group up with Chery Vehicle, BAIC Motor and Anhui Jianghuai Vehicle Group in collectively creating and manufacturing Aito-branded autos, Richard Yu, Huawei’s Sensible Automotive CEO, mentioned on the China EV 100 discussion board in Beijing.

Huawei, which has already a partnership with Seres Group to make Aito automobiles, plans a collection of fashions together with SUVs, sedans and multipurpose autos underneath the Aito model, Yu added.

“We would like to completely use the automakers’ sources of manufacturing capability,” Yu mentioned.

Seres offered a complete of 80,000 Aito automobiles that includes Huawei’s HarmonyOS system – developed by the corporate as an alternative choice to Android – in 2022, up greater than six instances from a 12 months in the past, in response to firm filings.

Huawei’s Chairman Eric Xu reiterated at a press convention on Friday that the corporate would not make automobiles by itself however solely helps different automakers make higher autos.

Huawei has been hit by a collection of export controls by Washington which says it’s a safety threat, which the corporate denies. The sanctions have blocked Huawei from shopping for key elements in addition to from utilizing Google (NASDAQ:)’s Android working system. 

The sanctions have additionally affected Huawei’s partnerships with world automakers, who’ve given up utilizing Huawei’s automobile connectivity applied sciences prior to now two years, Yu mentioned on Saturday.

Pressure with the U.S. noticed Meng detained for 3 years in Canada over alleged efforts to cowl up makes an attempt by Huawei-linked firms to promote tools to Iran in breach of U.S. sanctions.