At the Paris Motor Show, more than 20 Chinese automotive brands occupied the exhibition space, up from nine two years earlier. Present were BYD, Denza, Li Auto, Geely with Volvo, Aito, Chery, Leapmotor and Maxus. Several traditional European marques were absent; BMW and Mini withdrew their commitments in the summer, while Porsche and Ferrari did not set up a stand.
Avatr, a brand not yet sold in Western Europe, was highlighted by its presence within the booth of its majority shareholder Changan. Justin Li, Head of Overseas Business at Avatr Technology, used the event to announce the company's European market entry. The rollout is scheduled for 2027, beginning with Norway and Spain, and a Swiss launch is planned for spring 2027. A dedicated website and Instagram account for prospective customers are already live, though pricing, importers and dealer networks have not been disclosed.
Avatr intends to introduce six models to Europe over the next three years, with the possibility of hybrid variants. The first two models slated for launch are the 06T shooting brake, measuring 4.94 metres, and the 07L five‑seat SUV, 4.91 metres long. Both are offered in battery‑electric form and list a maximum output of 712 kW, roughly 970 horsepower. Claimed ranges are 741 kilometres for the 06T and 725 kilometres for the 07L, based on the Chinese CLTC testing cycle, which is more generous than the European WLTP standard. Batteries supplied by CATL are said to support 5C fast charging. Data sheets also reference Huawei‑provided lidar, the ADS 5 driver‑assist system and the HarmonySpace 5 cockpit suite.
The interior is described as high‑quality, featuring predominantly real leather and a tactile feel positioned between Geely’s premium Zeekr and BYD’s luxury Denza. In Switzerland, Denza’s Gran Turismo Z9GT is priced at a minimum of 101,000 Swiss francs, while Zeekr’s 7X SUV starts around 54,000 francs. Avatr has not announced Swiss pricing, but expects it to fall between those two levels.
Founded in 2018 as a joint venture between Changan and Nio, Avatr saw Nio exit later, leaving Changan—a state‑owned automaker from Chongqing—with about 41% ownership and battery maker CATL holding roughly 9%. Huawei is not an equity partner but supplies driver‑assist and cockpit software; conversely, Avatr owns 10% of Huawei’s automotive unit Yinwang.
The brand claims a presence in 70 countries, targeting 110 by 2030, with overseas sales projected to exceed 50% of total volume. Vehicle design is carried out at Avatr’s Munich design centre, led by chief designer Nader Faghihzadeh, who joined from BMW in 2019 after 17 years there. Senior manager Peter Seitz, formerly with Opel, also works from the Munich office.
