Shanghai (ZXZC)- Dongfeng Motor Corporation is going to launch on July 17 the "h" brand focusing on premium new energy PVs, the automaker announced last week.

It is said that the "h" brand has planned on rolling out nine models that include SUVs and MPVs, among which the first one is set to hit the market on 2021.

Dongfeng's "h" business unit is founded in April 2019 for the development of "h" brand. According to earlier reports, the new brand will work as an independent PV unit, while it will be affiliated to Dongfeng's Hong Kong-list subsidiary, Dongfeng Motor Group Company Limited. 

Reportedly, the "h" brand will inherit Dongfeng Renault's Wuhan plant, which will be renovated later. The plant to-day features annual capacities of 150,000 complete vehicles and 50,000 engines.

The state-owned automaker is operating four self-owned PV brands—Fengshen, Fengguang, Fengxing and Venucia, most of which are priced below 150,000 yuan ($21,423). “With the consumption upgrading in China's automotive marketing, the share of mid-/high-end vehicles priced between 200,000 yuan ($28,564) and 350,000 yuan ($49,986) is growing rapidly, and this is the only market where Dongfeng's electrification and intelligent connectivity technologies can be developed with a proper cost effectiveness,” said You Zheng, deputy general manager of Dongfeng Motor Corporation.

Dongfeng Motor Corporation and CATL agreed in mid-June to step up their strategic collaboration on NEV development, which is expected to help promote the building and perfection of China's NEV industrial ecosystem.

Under the newly cemented partnership, two companies are expected to develop more technologies and products for the NEV ecosystem, gain a head start over rivals in NEV, battery recycle and intelligent data areas, and join forces in order to develop new technologies befitting the future trend.