The SERES SF5 is a range-extended electric (REEV) D-segment SUV introduced by Chinese automaker SERES, positioned as a "high-performance electric drive coupe SUV". Making its global debut in April 2019 at the Chongqing Liangjiang Intelligent Plant, the vehicle served as the inaugural model for the SERES brand. In April 2021, SERES partnered with Huawei to launch the "HUAWEI Smart Selection SF5", marking the first mass-production model retailed through Huawei's network and serving as a milestone in the deep collaboration between both companies. Following the debut of the AITO M5, the SERES HUAWEI Smart Selection SF5 was gradually phased out. As of 2026, the entire model range has been officially discontinued.
The SERES SF5 embraces the "Life Nature Aesthetics" design philosophy, sporting a distinctive coupe SUV silhouette. Up front, its most recognisable cue is the "Double Sigma (∑)" daytime running light signature, paired with full-LED headlamps for a high-tech visual identity. The side profile features sleek, minimalist character lines with flush pop-out door handles and a sweeping fastback roofline that contributes to a low drag coefficient. At the rear, it gets full-width LED taillights that are popular across modern designs, creating a cohesive aesthetic. In terms of dimensions, the SUV measures 4,700 mm long, 1,930 mm wide, and 1,625 mm tall, riding on a 2,875 mm wheelbase. These proportions give it a competitive edge among mainstream D-segment SUVs, with its overall width and wheelbase exceeding segment norms. Exterior paint options include Ivory White, Feather Red, and Polar Night Black.
Inside, the cabin follows a minimalist approach with a clean, uncluttered layout. It is generously trimmed with soft-touch materials, premium leather upholstery, and wood-grain inserts, available in three interior themes: Polar Night Black, Feather Red, and Agate Brown, earning strong praise for its fit, finish, and materials relative to its price point. The cockpit's focal point is a portrait-oriented 17-inch central infotainment touchscreen, complemented by a 12.3-inch full digital instrument cluster and a head-up display (HUD) to form a high-tech, three-screen interactive setup. It also features integrated sport bucket seats wrapped in genuine leather, balancing lateral support with long-distance comfort.
The entire SERES SF5 lineup adopts a range-extended electric vehicle (REEV) powertrain, featuring a 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine acting solely as an on-board generator to charge the battery rather than directly driving the wheels. The HUAWEI Smart Selection 4WD variant pairs a SERES SEP200 electric motor on the front axle with Huawei’s DriveONE 3-in-1 electric drive unit at the rear; the front motor delivers 255 kW while the rear motor outputs 150 kW, producing a combined total output of 405 kW (approx. 550 PS) and a massive 820 Nm of peak torque. The century sprint from 0-100 km/h is dispatched in just 4.68 seconds, with 0-50 km/h taking 1.99 seconds, matching the performance benchmarks of high-end sports cars. The 2WD variant features a single high-performance electric motor producing 255 kW and 520 Nm, completing the 0-100 km/h sprint in 6.8 seconds. Power is supplied by a 35 kWh liquid-cooled, constant-temperature ternary lithium battery pack, delivering an NEDC-rated pure electric range of 180 km. Coupled with a 56-litre fuel tank, the total combined range exceeds 1,000 km on a full tank and full charge, effectively eliminating range anxiety.
The SERES SF5 boasts class-above chassis underpinnings rarely seen in this segment. The entire range rides on a lightweight all-aluminium alloy chassis, featuring a four-ball-joint double-wishbone independent front suspension with an anti-roll bar and a trapezoidal-arm multi-link independent rear suspension. This premium suspension geometry is typically reserved for higher-end luxury vehicles, offering significantly superior lateral stiffness and high-speed stability over the common MacPherson strut and conventional multi-link setups in the same price bracket. The extensive use of aluminium alloy also effectively cuts unsprung weight, sharpening suspension response.
Out on the road, the chassis tuning strikes a fine balance between dynamic sportiness and ride comfort. During hard driving and high-speed cornering, the dampers provide ample body control alongside strong torsional rigidity and crisp steering feedback, with drivers commending its sharp, point-and-shoot handling akin to a performance car. In daily urban commutes, the ride remains supple, soaking up road imperfections effortlessly. NVH suppression is equally impressive for its class, with acoustic laminated glass and the aluminium subframe effectively isolating wind buffeting, tyre roar, and road debris noise.
The cabin of the HUAWEI Smart Selection SF5 is deeply integrated into the Huawei smart ecosystem, running on the HUAWEI HiCar all-scenario smart connectivity system. It enables seamless cross-device handover between smartphones and the in-car display: navigation and music cards automatically sync to the car upon entry, and seamlessly switch back to the smartphone upon exiting to continue last-mile navigation. Drivers can activate the Huawei Voice Assistant via the steering wheel controls or touchscreen to operate more than 20 vehicle functions. The system includes dual-map navigation (seamlessly toggling between AutoNavi and Baidu Maps) and integrates mainstream audio platforms such as Huawei Music, Kugou, and NetEase Cloud Music. On higher-spec variants, audio is handled by the premium HUAWEI SOUND system for an elevated acoustic experience. The centre console houses a portrait-format 17-inch multi-touch display (upgraded on the HUAWEI Smart Selection version) alongside a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and a rotary electronic gear selector.
For cabin comfort, standard kit includes heated integrated leather sport seats, dual-zone automatic climate control, and rear air-con vents. Cabin practicality is well catered for, offering a squarish, practical boot layout alongside 60:40 split-folding rear seats. In addition, the vehicle supports Vehicle-to-Load (V2L) external power supply and Vehicle-to-Vehicle (V2V) emergency reverse charging, catering to outdoor lifestyle power needs and providing emergency top-ups for stranded EVs.
In terms of structural safety, the SERES SF5 features a high-rigidity safety cage design, with high-strength steel making up 68% of the structure, hot-stamped ultra-high-strength steel accounting for roughly 19%, and ultra-high-strength reinforcements applied across critical load paths. The vehicle secured a full five-star crash safety rating in the China Automotive Technology and Research Center C-NCAP assessments (2021 testing protocol) with an overall score of 86.8%, including 88.16% for adult occupant protection and a perfect 100% in active safety. For battery safety, SERES engineered a proprietary five-tier thermal management system, successfully completing extreme thermal runaway propagation and nail penetration non-combustion tests well beyond mandatory national standards. Airbag protection on the HUAWEI Smart Selection 4WD variant includes dual front airbags, front side airbags, and full-length front and rear curtain airbags.
For active safety and ADAS, the SF5 is equipped with the SERES Pilot driver assistance suite, utilising 8 ultrasonic sensors, 3 high-precision millimetre-wave radars, 4 surround-view cameras, and 1 forward-facing vision camera. The setup enables Level 2+ semi-autonomous driving capabilities, with core ADAS features comprising Full-Speed Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC, 0-150 km/h), Traffic Jam Assist (TJA), Integrated Cruise Assist (ICA), Forward Collision Warning (FCW), Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB), Lane Keeping Assist (LKA), Lane Departure Warning (LDW), Blind Spot Detection (BSD), Door Opening Warning (DOW), and Intelligent Traffic Sign Recognition. A 360-degree surround-view camera system is also standard to facilitate tight parking manoeuvres and low-speed navigation.
The market tenure of the SERES SF5 experienced a full cycle, moving from initial obscurity to a brief sales peak before being phased out. During its initial launch in 2020, full-year sales reached only 732 units—averaging less than two units daily—struggling for market visibility. Following the partnership with Huawei and the debut of the "HUAWEI Smart Selection" variant in April 2021, sales saw an immediate uptick, with total deliveries surpassing 7,000 units between April and November; however, an average of under 1,000 units monthly still fell short of Huawei's internal targets. When Huawei unveiled the AITO M5 in late 2021, retail backing for the SF5 shrank dramatically, and display units were gradually pulled from Huawei Experience Stores. Although SERES issued an official statement in January 2022 confirming that it would continue to accept SF5 orders and introduced a lifetime warranty covering the vehicle and range extender for first-hand owners, it could not reverse the decline. The SF5 was gradually withdrawn from the domestic market, with its export sibling, the SERES 5, making its European debut at the Paris Motor Show in October 2022.
Owner feedback remains distinctly polarised. Praises focus on its explosive performance (0-100 km/h in 4.68 seconds), planted chassis with segment-busting suspension hardware, responsive Huawei smart ecosystem, generous cabin space (2,875 mm wheelbase) and theoretical 1,000 km+ total cruising range. Conversely, consumer complaints highlight heavily exaggerated real-world range figures, with numerous owners reporting an actual full-tank, full-charge range of only around 550 km, falling well short of the official 1,000 km claim; premature battery degradation, with several owners reporting usable capacity dropping below 70% alongside suspected software-induced "battery capping" that was not resolved with warranty replacements; and build quality and after-sales service shortcomings, such as knocking noises from the dampers, sagging roof headliners, infotainment sluggishness, alongside extended lead times for replacement parts and sluggish after-sales support.
In summary, as the trailblazer for the SERES-Huawei alliance, the SERES SF5 delivered solid paper specifications with its REEV powertrain, double-wishbone front suspension, and sub-5-second century sprint, pioneering the model of selling cars through consumer electronics retail channels. However, its trajectory highlights that in the face of next-generation offerings like AITO, a transitional product lacking scale quickly sees its real-world range discrepancies, quality control niggles, and after-sales bottlenecks snowball into a consumer confidence deficit.
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