Stellantis has issued a textbook corporate non-denial following explosive reports out of China that Maserati is negotiating a joint venture to build electric vehicles with tech giant Huawei and automaker JAC.
According to Chinese outlet Yunjian Insight, the four-way collaboration would see Huawei lead product definition, software, and core technologies, while JAC handles the heavy lifting of research, development, and manufacturing. Maserati’s role would reportedly be limited to exterior styling and brand endorsement.
When pressed on the rumour by Carscoops, a Stellantis spokesperson offered a carefully worded deflection:
“As part of its normal course of business, Stellantis holds discussions with a range of industry players around the world on various topics… The Company does not comment on speculation.”
The reported architecture mirrors Huawei’s existing Harmony Intelligent Mobility Alliance (HIMA) framework. Crucially, the resulting vehicle would live a dual life. In China, it would be sold under the Maextro badge – a premium joint-venture brand between Huawei and JAC that is already moving serious volume with its $104,000 S800 luxury sedan.
For overseas markets, the exact same vehicle would wear the iconic Maserati Trident. Series production is allegedly slated for the second half of 2027.
For traditionalists, outsourcing Maserati’s engineering to Anhui Jianghuai Automobile Group is a bitter pill to swallow. However, the mathematics of Maserati’s current situation leave Stellantis with few options. Global deliveries have fallen off a cliff, dropping from roughly 27,000 units in 2023 to an expected 7900 in 2025.
The bleeding is worst in China. In 2017, the Italian marque moved 14,498 vehicles in the region. Last year, that figure barely cracked 1000 units. Premium Chinese buyers demand cutting-edge software, advanced driver assistance systems, and lightning-fast user interfaces – areas where legacy European brands are completely outgunned by local tech conglomerates.
This would not be Stellantis’s first concession to Chinese engineering. The automotive giant recently acquired a 21 per cent stake in Leapmotor and is already outsourcing the underlying architecture for upcoming Opel and Alfa Romeo EVs to the Chinese brand.
