Stellantis’ Huawei-JAC Talks Could Give Maserati a New EV Lifeline

Stellantis is reportedly in advanced discussions with Huawei and China’s JAC Group on long-term industrial cooperation for Maserati. The potential deal would give the Italian luxury marque access to Huawei’s Harmony Intelligent Mobility technology and JAC’s vehicle-development and manufacturing capabilities, while Maserati contributes its design, premium positioning and international brand identity. But it remains a negotiation, not an announced agreement. 18

The immediate objective reported by Milano Finanza and cited by Reuters is to start production of a first jointly developed vehicle by the end of 2027. That timing, the vehicle’s specification, where it will be built and the commercial terms are still unconfirmed. 18

The proposed division of roles

Reports describe a structure similar to Huawei’s existing automotive collaborations:

• Huawei would provide the intelligent-vehicle layer, including software, digital cockpit technology and advanced driver-assistance capabilities, and could help shape product definition. 1014
• JAC Group would support co-development, industrialization and manufacturing. JAC already builds vehicles in its Maextro collaboration with Huawei, where Huawei supplies software, intelligent-driving systems and in-cabin technology. 1025
• Maserati and Stellantis would provide the luxury design direction, brand positioning and commercialization outside China. 1018

In practical terms, the arrangement could let Maserati move faster in software-defined and electrified luxury vehicles without having to develop every element alone. It would not, however, turn Maserati into a Huawei brand: the reported model depends on Maserati retaining a distinctive premium identity.

A possible Maextro-in-China, Maserati-abroad model

One reported option is a related pair of vehicles: a Maextro-badged model for China and a Maserati-badged version for overseas markets. Maextro is the premium marque associated with Huawei and JAC. 811

This dual-brand structure has not been confirmed by the companies. If adopted, it could give the program Chinese scale through an established local premium name while allowing Maserati to preserve its badge in export markets. The risk is equally clear: Stellantis would need to ensure that shared technology and architecture do not dilute Maserati’s luxury differentiation.

Why Maserati is seeking a new industrial route

The discussions come after a difficult 2025 for Maserati. The brand shipped fewer than 8,000 vehicles and posted an adjusted operating loss of €198 million, according to Reuters. 18

A technology-and-manufacturing partnership could address part of that problem: it may accelerate access to advanced vehicle systems and spread the development burden of a new model. It cannot, on its own, settle the broader commercial questions facing the marque, including model range, pricing, distribution and sustained profitability.

Stellantis has said it will present a detailed Maserati roadmap in Modena in December 2026 and plans to add two E-segment vehicles to the brand’s lineup. 41 The Huawei-JAC discussions should therefore be viewed as a possible industrial building block for that turnaround, rather than a complete turnaround plan.

The unresolved decision: China or Italy?

The most consequential open issue is manufacturing. Reports have not established whether the proposed vehicle would be made in China, Italy or through a split production arrangement. 1821

The choice matters beyond logistics. Stellantis CEO Antonio Filosa has said a new Maserati agreement would help production rates at the company’s Cassino and Modena plants, where Maserati models are made. 18 Locating some work in Italy could therefore support plant utilization and reinforce Maserati’s Italian production footprint. A China-based solution, meanwhile, could draw more directly on JAC’s existing EV industrial base and its relationship with Huawei.

How the talks fit Filosa’s wider strategy

The prospective Maserati deal is consistent with Stellantis’ FaSTLAne 2030 strategy, which places partnerships alongside investment in brands, platforms and technology, as well as manufacturing-footprint optimization. Stellantis plans to invest more than €60 billion through 2030, allocating roughly 60% to brands and products and 40% to global platforms and technologies. 3034

The company has already highlighted deeper cooperation with Chinese partners. Its strategy includes work with Leapmotor on purchasing, supplier bases and industrial capacity, while Stellantis is also expanding cooperation with Dongfeng. 3041

A Huawei-JAC-Maserati program would push that partnership approach into a different segment: luxury intelligent EVs. For Maserati, the opportunity is access to Chinese technology and industrial scale. The test will be whether Stellantis can use those capabilities while delivering a vehicle customers still recognize as unmistakably Maserati.

What is confirmed—and what is not

Reported and supported by sources: Stellantis is in talks with Huawei and JAC; the discussions are described as advanced; they center on Huawei’s Harmony Intelligent Mobility platform; and a first jointly developed vehicle is targeted for production by the end of 2027. 18

Still unannounced: a signed agreement, investment amounts, governance, the final vehicle type, the Maextro/Maserati branding plan, the factory location and a binding launch schedule. Until the companies disclose those terms, the proposal remains a potentially important route for Maserati—not a completed rescue plan. 1811