Dongfeng and Huawei's Epicland X9 Large Crossover Prepares for Sales Launch

The Epicland brand has announced the launch of its first production crossover, the X9. According to preliminary information, the SUV will be offered with a hybrid powertrain. The model is expected to go on sale before the end of the year.

The Epicland brand (also known as Yijing in Chinese) is a joint project between the Dongfeng Group and Huawei. Furthermore, the IT giant's portfolio includes another marque associated with this car manufacturer. This refers to the Aito brand, which is a joint venture between Huawei and Seres, a company affiliated with Dongfeng. However, unlike Aito, the Epicland brand is not part of the HIMA alliance (nor is Aistaland – a project between Huawei and GAC).

Epicland's first model is a large crossover with the index X9. The pre-production prototype premiered in April this year at the Beijing Auto Show. The SUV was subsequently displayed at other events, and in May, the crossover's certification appeared in the database of China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology. Now, the Epicland brand has announced the launch of its first production SUV. At the same time, the first full interior images have been released. However, let's first take another look at the exterior.

The Epicland X9 features a design typical of many modern Chinese cars. At the front, there is a smooth panel, with active grille shutters integrated into the lower part of the bumper. A single LED light bar, serving as daytime running lights, runs across under the bonnet lid. Below this are the headlights, which are themselves divided into two sections. The crossover also gets semi-flush door handles and a full-width rear light bar with a pixel pattern. A 896-line LiDAR is mounted above the windscreen. The driver assistance system is, of course, from Huawei, as is the rest of the electronics. Incidentally, in profile, the Epicland X9 looks very similar to the flagship Aito M9. So it is possible that these crossovers are related.

The Epicland X9 measures 5,301 mm in length, 2,015 mm in width, 1,805 mm in height, and has a wheelbase of 3,120 mm. For comparison, the standard updated Aito M9 is 5,285 mm long, with a wheelbase of 3,125 mm (this model also gained a stretched version after its facelift: 5,402 mm and 3,236 mm respectively).

The interior of the Epicland X9 is its own, different from that of the Aito crossover. Although it can't be called revolutionary either. Inside, there is a three-spoke steering wheel, a two-tier centre console, and a giant multimedia system display consisting of two screens. The multimedia system runs on the latest generation HarmonySpace operating system from Huawei and features artificial intelligence. A touch panel for settings is built into the end of the centre console, and rear passengers also have their own ceiling-mounted tablet. There is no conventional instrument cluster here; instead, there is an augmented reality head-up display. It is also known that the Epicland X9 will be offered in a six-seat configuration. The seats will undoubtedly feature heating, ventilation, and massage functions.

The Epicland X9 crossover is a plug-in hybrid. The powertrain includes a 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine operating as a generator. According to preliminary information, the model has all-wheel drive, but details about the electric motors are not yet available. Chinese sources report that the SUV will be offered with a battery capacity of 51.46 kWh.

The full premiere of the Epicland X9 is expected to take place in the near future. The crossover will be launched on the domestic market before the end of this year.