Maserati Eyes China Production With Maextro, Huawei and JAC

Mass production of a new Maserati-designed vehicle could move toward launch in the fourth quarter of 2027, according to a Yicai report on Monday describing a three-way project linking Huawei, JAC and Stellantis in China.

The project, internally called "Maserati Design," involves Huawei, Anhui Jianghuai Automobile Group Corp (JAC) and Maserati's parent company Stellantis, Yicai reported, citing a person familiar with the matter. The car's exterior design has reportedly been finalized. No firm production or delivery date has been disclosed.

Because Maserati lacks its own production qualifications in China (government licenses required to build vehicles domestically), JAC would handle manufacturing and Huawei would supply technology support, the report said.

How would the brand split work?

The partnership would take separate paths for the Chinese and overseas markets. Vehicles would sell through Maextro — the brand jointly developed by Huawei and JAC — inside China, while carrying Maserati badges abroad.

The arrangement would let Maserati draw on its Chinese partners' manufacturing and technology resources to advance the vehicle program. Maextro, in turn, would gain access to the Italian luxury marque's design expertise.

Is the deal actually signed?

Not yet, and that distinction matters for anyone tracking program timing. JAC confirmed in a September 30 filing that it had been in discussions with Huawei and Stellantis about potential cooperation. At that time, JAC said the scope and structure of the cooperation had not been determined, no legally binding definitive agreement had been signed, and significant uncertainty remained over whether the partnership would proceed.

The Yicai report adds detail to that previously disclosed interest but does not change its contractual status. Supplier-side and partner announcements of this kind remain claims to verify against confirmed production plans.

Local media outlet Yunjian Insight reported in May that the parties were in talks to jointly develop Maserati-branded new energy vehicles (NEVs), with plans to use different brands in China and overseas. Under the division of responsibilities outlined in that report:

• Huawei would lead product definition and provide core technology
• JAC would handle joint development and manufacturing
• Maserati would contribute styling and brand backing

What does this change for practitioners?

For suppliers and engineers watching the program, the reported structure means JAC's plants — not a Stellantis facility — would carry the manufacturing load in China, while Huawei's technology stack would define the vehicle's core systems. That places the program within Huawei's existing HIMA (Harmony Intelligent Mobility Alliance) ecosystem rather than a conventional OEM-led joint venture.

Maextro sits as the highest-positioned brand under the HIMA umbrella. It has launched the S800 sedan and two extended-range MPVs (multi-purpose vehicles), the V680 and V800 — a portfolio the Maserati project would sit alongside.

A separate SUV plan

The Maserati project is distinct from another potential expansion under consideration. Cailian reported earlier today, citing a person familiar with the matter, that Maextro could launch a new sub-brand focused on SUVs. That initiative and the Maserati partnership are two separate projects, the report said.

What to watch next

Three markers will signal whether this moves from intention to program: the signing of a legally binding definitive agreement between JAC, Huawei and Stellantis; any regulatory filing or announcement confirming production qualifications and plant allocation at JAC; and milestone progress toward the reported Q4 2027 mass-production target. Until a binding deal appears in a JAC filing, the 2027 date remains an aspiration attached to an unsigned partnership.