HONG KONG: Seres Group has reported strong 2025 financial results, and is aiming to become China's answer to Mercedes-Benz and BMW.
The Hong Kong-listed luxury NEV (new energy vehicle) maker has now been profitable for two consecutive years.
Driven by policy support, shifting consumer demand, and advances in technology, China’s new energy vehicle (NEV) industry is entering a new phase of development, with Seres Group positioning itself at its centre.
A Bloomberg article in May 2025 had pointed out that in under four years, Seres Group, a small Chinese automaker once best known for its 30,000 yuan (RM17,478) minivans, had beaten luxury legacy names like BMW and Mercedes to become the nation's hottest high-end car seller.
Formerly called DFSK Motor, Seres partnered with telecommunications giant Huawei Technologies back in 2021 to launch the Aito brand of premium electric and hybrid sport utility vehicles.
As an early entrant into China’s premium NEV segment, Seres has sought to differentiate through what it describes as “technology luxury.”
Its premium brand, Aito, reported strong delivery figures for 2025.
The Aito M9 exceeded 110,000 units in annual deliveries and was described by the company as the bestselling model in the RMB500,000 (RM291,307) segment for two consecutive years, 2024 and 2025.
Meanwhile, the Aito M8 delivered more than 150,000 units during the year, maintaining its position as the top-selling model in the RMB 400,000 (RM233,045) segment since launch.
The Aito M7 also surpassed 110,000 units.
Combined, these three models pushed Aito’s total annual deliveries above 420,000 units.
Seres said this made Aito the leading high-end automotive brand in China by sales and set a new delivery pace in the segment.
Beyond product performance, the figures point to the broader rise of Chinese brands in the premium global automotive market.
Meanwhile, in 2025, Aito vehicles accumulated 3.8 billion km of assisted driving mileage.
During the 2026 Lunar New Year holiday, 51.9% of mileage driven by Aito M9 vehicles was generated using assisted driving functions, according to the company.
These figures indicate growing adoption and suggest increasing maturity of the company’s assisted driving system.
Seres added that the data and expertise accumulated to date will support further development and iteration of its assisted driving systems.
In 2025, Seres recorded operating revenue of RMB164.89 billion (RM96.06bil), up 13.63% year-on-year.
Net profit reached RMB5.96 billion (RM3.47bil).
As of December 31, 2025, net cash flow from operating activities reached RMB28.12 billion (RM16.38bil), nearly five times its net profit.
Seres attributed this to its robust cash flow management and revenue generation, which it said provide resilience against industry cycles and support continued investment in R&D (research and development), product development, and international expansion.
Seres also emphasised its environmental, social, and governance (ESG) efforts.
It said it has sought to integrate ESG principles across R&D and supply chain operations, with a focus on achieving long-term sustainability and alignment with broader societal and environmental goals.
Its endeavors have earned it an AAA ESG rating from MSCI, its highest tier, according to the company.
The rating reflects its governance framework and ESG management, and may influence its appeal to both retail and institutional investors.
Looking ahead, Seres plans to focus on expanding production capacity, investing further in core technologies, and broadening its distribution network.
Often compared with Western luxury automotive brands such as Mercedes-Benz and BMW, Seres has had to manage high expectations around product quality and brand positioning.
