Yu Chengdong responds again to the changes in the questioning world

Author | Zhou Zhiyu

The concept of "Inquiry" still appears on the large screen at the HarmonyOS launch event. Behind the scenes, Huawei is redistributing its operational resources across various brands.

On September 28th, at the launch event for the Smart RX and HarmonyOS Intelligent Mobility new products, Yu Chengdong, Executive Director of Huawei and Chairman of the Consumer Business Group, reiterated the changes in the cooperation model with Wenjie. He stated that Wenjie was one of the earliest brands to cooperate with HarmonyOS Intelligent Mobility, and now it is led by Seres with Huawei continuing to provide support, ensuring that car owners' rights remain unaffected. At the event, the Wenjie logo was displayed alongside those of Smart, Enjoy, Premium, and Stylish.

The three products launched at the same event brought the Zhijie and Xiangjie series to the forefront: the Zhijie RX was officially launched, priced from RMB 259,800 to RMB 389,800; the Zhijie R7 refreshed model was priced from RMB 239,800 to RMB 319,800; and the Xiangjie V8 began pre-sales, with a pre-sale price starting from RMB 329,800.

While continuing to endorse the existing ecosystem, Yu Chengdong is also concentrating resources to support the other four ecosystems. His recent statements have brought to light a constraint in the expansion of HarmonyOS: Huawei's technology can be shared by more car models and penetrate into the product definition, marketing and retail of each brand, but it still requires the investment of teams and time in each one.

The division of labor for this adjustment was clearly defined on September 15th. For the Wenjie series, product definition, product design, brand marketing, channel retail, and service systems will be led by Seres, with Huawei Terminal providing support; while the Zunjie, Xiangjie, Zhijie, and Shangjie series will continue to adopt a cooperation model led by Huawei throughout the entire process.

On September 24, Yu Chengdong further explained the reasons for the adjustment when interacting with users at the HarmonyOS Intelligent Mobility store in Hefei. He stated that Seres had made significant progress in its capabilities during the cooperation between the two parties and had proactively proposed to take the lead in operating the Wenjie (Wayway) vehicle. "Now they want to take the lead themselves," Yu Chengdong said. "We support them." He also emphasized that the new Wenjie vehicle launched this year will still be led and designed by the Huawei team.

In his social media post that day, Yu Chengdong also mentioned that the HarmonyOS teams had been operating at full capacity for the past few years. Going forward, the focus will be on the remaining four brands, allowing each brand to receive more resources and enabling the teams to dedicate more energy to refining product details and user experience. Regarding future investments, he also mentioned that R&D, quality, and testing resources will be concentrated on all four brands.

This provides a new perspective on the "6+1" framework previously proposed by HarmonyOS. On August 20th, Yu Chengdong listed six core technologies alongside a consumer-facing end-to-end capability, the latter encompassing product definition, retail, marketing, and user services. The team's current overload and refocusing of resources highlight the organizational costs behind this capability.

While technology platforms can be reused, the judgment and execution required to operate an automotive brand cannot be automatically replicated as the number of brands increases. By delegating more operational responsibility to Seres, Wenjie has freed up space for Huawei to focus its support on other brands.

This change suggests that HarmonyOS is attempting to divide responsibilities according to the brand's growth stage: automakers are taking over more operational work, while Huawei is focusing its efforts on products and brands that still require key development.

The Zhijie RX prioritizes sportiness and handling. Yu Chengdong calls it "the best-driving car currently available with HarmonyOS." This pure electric coupe SUV, approximately 5 meters long, debuts Huawei's new generation of high-performance electric drive, featuring a front double wishbone and rear five-link suspension. The high-end version is equipped with a dual-chamber air suspension, and the official CLTC range is up to 852 kilometers.

The R7's refresh is more geared towards everyday family use. According to official sources, the upgrade involved an investment of 500 million yuan, focusing on eight aspects including intelligence, comfort, and space. Key upgrades include a dual-screen setup, zero-gravity seats, a car refrigerator, and increased storage space. The pure electric CLTC's maximum range has been increased to 855 kilometers.

The two SUVs have starting prices that differ by only 20,000 yuan, with significant overlap in their price ranges. The RX emphasizes driving performance, while the R7 emphasizes family use. The Zhijie needs to offer consumers different reasons to buy within the same budget. While they share Huawei technology as a foundation, to expand their business, the new models must attract consumers with diverse needs.

The Enjoy V8 brings this expansion to the family MPV market. Yu Chengdong calls it "the next family blockbuster." This seven-seater model offers both pure electric and range-extended powertrains, with a length of 5335 mm and a wheelbase of 3250 mm. At the launch event, the focus was on showcasing 100 design features developed around family needs.

The official specifications state that the V8 can still accommodate 10 20-inch suitcases even with seven passengers on board. The second-row seats can rotate 45 degrees electrically, and the low floor and armrests improve the convenience of getting in and out of the vehicle for the elderly and children. With a pre-sale price of 329,800 yuan, coupled with its spaciousness and ample cargo capacity, the Enjoy series aims to appeal to families with budgets for family cars.

These products require more detailed user research and continuous investment. The handover of operational responsibilities has freed up space for Huawei to focus its support on them.

The path taken by Wenjie is also changing the way HarmonyOS replicates its success: in addition to reusing technology and channels, it is also necessary to let partners gradually take over brand management, reducing the burden of Huawei's deep involvement in each brand.

Yu Chengdong's repeated emphasis on the Wenjie product and the rights of car owners has broader commercial significance.

Consumers' trust in Huawei is difficult to diminish with the division of business responsibilities; the continued efforts of the four-dimensional ecosystem to attract users through HarmonyOS are still linked to the reputation accumulated by the four-dimensional ecosystem.

Huawei can reallocate its operational focus, but the HarmonyOS brand, which is used by all five brands, still needs to be maintained by all parties.

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