Dongfeng to “Repackage” Nissan and Team Up with Huawei: All for Project XY

Dongfeng Motor is gearing up to launch a new electric vehicle brand in collaboration with Huawei. According to Chinese media, the project—currently operating under the codename XY—will become a standalone company, following a strategy similar to GAC’s Huawei-focused Huawang brand.

The development team includes former engineers from the Dongfeng Nissan technical center, leveraging proven expertise and Venucia brand experience. Production will be localized at Dongfeng Nissan’s Xiangyang plant, which previously built flagship models like the Teana, Murano, Pathfinder, and Infiniti vehicles. The factory will undergo a major modernization and, once upgraded, will be capable of producing up to 300,000 vehicles per year focused on smart technologies and electrification.

The first EV under the new brand is expected to debut in the fourth quarter of 2026. These vehicles will feature Huawei’s intelligent tech suite, including advanced autonomous driving systems, smart cabins, and proprietary vehicle control solutions. Beyond hardware, the partnership will also extend to marketing and corporate management, with Dongfeng adopting Huawei’s IPD and IPMS methodologies for the new company’s operations.

With XY, Dongfeng aims to create a “second Lantu”—a showcase of how Chinese automakers are blending traditional manufacturing with Huawei’s digital technologies to make a breakthrough in the smart EV segment.