Chine
Avatr
Avatr (Avatr Technology) is a Chinese automaker founded in 2018 and based in Chongqing, China. Its roots go back to a joint venture initially called Changan-Nio, formed in 2018 between the major state-owned manufacturer Changan Automobile and the electric vehicle maker Nio, on a 50/50 basis. After Nio withdrew from the project two years later, Changan continued on its own and then partnered with battery giant CATL. In May 2021, the company was renamed Avatr Technology, and the brand was publicly unveiled in November 2021. Avatr presents itself as the product of a cooperation model called "CHN," which brings together Changan (vehicle manufacturer), Huawei (intelligent technologies) and Ningde Shidai, the Chinese name for CATL (batteries). Changan remains the lead shareholder, alongside CATL, industrial funds and entities linked to the Chinese state; Huawei is not a shareholder but a supplier of key technologies. The brand positioned itself from the outset in the luxury electric vehicle segment. Its first model, the Avatr 11, a premium mid-size SUV, was launched in 2022, followed by the Avatr 12 sedan-coupe, then the Avatr 07 SUV and more recent models such as the Avatr 06. All vehicles are offered as fully battery-electric (BEV) or as range-extended electric vehicles (REEV). Commercially, Avatr has experienced rapid growth: annual sales reached approximately 73,600 units in 2024 (up 100% year over year), and cumulative sales surpassed 150,000 units by mid-2025. The brand began its international expansion in 2024, targeting Southeast Asia, the Middle East, Africa, the Commonwealth of Independent States and Latin America, with launches in Thailand and the United Arab Emirates, followed by a planned entry into Europe around 2026. Avatr was also preparing an initial public offering in Hong Kong. As of 2026, Avatr is not officially distributed in North America, where the brand remains largely unknown to the general public and absent from dealer networks.
ActiveÉlectrique / hybrideCamion / utilitaireChinoises
History
History of Avatr
Avatr (Avatr Technology) is a Chinese automaker founded in 2018 and based in Chongqing, China. Its roots go back to a joint venture initially called Changan-Nio, formed in 2018 between the major state-owned manufacturer Changan Automobile and the electric vehicle maker Nio, on a 50/50 basis. After Nio withdrew from the project two years later, Changan continued on its own and then partnered with battery giant CATL. In May 2021, the company was renamed Avatr Technology, and the brand was publicly unveiled in November 2021. Avatr presents itself as the product of a cooperation model called "CHN," which brings together Changan (vehicle manufacturer), Huawei (intelligent technologies) and Ningde Shidai, the Chinese name for CATL (batteries). Changan remains the lead shareholder, alongside CATL, industrial funds and entities linked to the Chinese state; Huawei is not a shareholder but a supplier of key technologies. The brand positioned itself from the outset in the luxury electric vehicle segment. Its first model, the Avatr 11, a premium mid-size SUV, was launched in 2022, followed by the Avatr 12 sedan-coupe, then the Avatr 07 SUV and more recent models such as the Avatr 06. All vehicles are offered as fully battery-electric (BEV) or as range-extended electric vehicles (REEV). Commercially, Avatr has experienced rapid growth: annual sales reached approximately 73,600 units in 2024 (up 100% year over year), and cumulative sales surpassed 150,000 units by mid-2025. The brand began its international expansion in 2024, targeting Southeast Asia, the Middle East, Africa, the Commonwealth of Independent States and Latin America, with launches in Thailand and the United Arab Emirates, followed by a planned entry into Europe around 2026. Avatr was also preparing an initial public offering in Hong Kong. As of 2026, Avatr is not officially distributed in North America, where the brand remains largely unknown to the general public and absent from dealer networks.
Public founding or origin of Avatr.
Technologies
Technologies, innovations and platforms
Avatr is built on the "CHN" platform, developed jointly with Changan, Huawei and CATL and designed for luxury electric vehicles. The models are offered as fully battery-electric (BEV) or as range-extended electric vehicles (REEV), in which a small combustion engine serves solely as a generator. The batteries come from CATL (premium NMC chemistries or LFP Shenxing), with some architectures operating at 800 volts to enable fast charging (from 10 to 80% in about twenty minutes). Powertrains range from rear-wheel-drive configurations to very powerful dual-motor all-wheel-drive versions. Huawei supplies the intelligent cockpit (HarmonyOS system) as well as the advanced driver-assistance algorithms, with sensors, radars and cameras for assisted-driving functions.
Brand image
Identity, reputation, strengths and weaknesses
Positioning
A Chinese luxury electric vehicle brand, born from the alliance of Changan, Huawei and CATL, focused on high technology.
Reputation
A young, exclusively electric brand, Avatr enjoys a favorable perception in China, where it is associated with technological luxury and the Huawei ecosystem. Reviews highlight the quality of the fit and finish, the high performance and the polished software integration. Long-term reliability, however, remains difficult to assess for lack of hindsight, with the oldest model dating only from 2022. Resale value is poorly documented outside China, and nonexistent in North America, where the brand is not sold. As with several recent Chinese automakers, long-term commercial viability and parts availability outside the markets served are unknowns for a North American buyer.
Strengths
Avatr combines the industrial strength of Changan, CATL's battery expertise and Huawei's intelligent technologies, giving it high-performing powertrains, 800-volt fast charging and an advanced software cockpit. Its luxury positioning, refined finish and a fully electrified lineup (BEV and range extender) are further distinctive assets.
Points to watch
A very young brand, Avatr lacks hindsight on long-term reliability and resale value. It is absent from North America, with no service network or parts availability in Quebec. Its brand awareness there is virtually nil, and its commercial viability outside China remains uncertain. The strong technological dependence on Huawei may also raise compatibility questions outside the markets served.
Models
Avatr models
Current or active models by market
Production and compatibility
Plants, tires and wheels
Production
Avatr's production is concentrated in China, primarily in Chongqing, the birthplace of Changan Automobile, where the brand's vehicles are assembled. The batteries come from CATL and the integration of the intelligent systems relies on Huawei, both of which are based in China. Avatr operates no plant in North America and neither assembles nor distributes vehicles there. Its international expansion, begun in 2024, first targets Southeast Asia, the Middle East, Africa, the Commonwealth of Independent States and Latin America, then Europe. No plan for industrial establishment or commercialization in Canada or the United States had been announced as of 2026.
Tires and wheels
Avatr vehicles are premium luxury SUVs and sedans, generally fitted with very large-diameter wheels, often 20 to 22 inches, with wide, low-profile tires (for example, widths around 265 mm). These imposing dimensions favor aesthetics and performance but offer limited cushioning to absorb potholes. As with any heavy electric vehicle driving in Quebec, certified winter tires (mountain-snowflake symbol) with the correct load index are essential, and a second set of winter wheels, sometimes of a smaller diameter, can make seasonal use easier. No specific dimension should be assumed without checking the vehicle's specification sheet.