(Yicai Global) Jan. 5 -- Buyers of Seres SF5, the first vehicle jointly developed by Sokon Group and Huawei Technologies, are claiming their rights after the carmaker suspended new bookings amid a fresh brand release.

Owners of electric sport utility vehicle model Seres SF5 have complained on social media about the expected drop in secondhand sales value and the cost of parts after the Chongqing-based vehicle manufacturer doubled down on Aito brand development, replacing Seres online and in stores.

The shift has angered many. As deliveries are delayed, some buyers have said they have formed a WeChat group of 370 persons to protect their rights.

Sokon and telecoms giant Huawei unveiled their second vehicle Aito M5 on Dec. 23, 2021. Consequently, many Seres outlets, along with the brand website and mobile application, have changed their logo into Aito, another electric vehicle brand with Huawei software.

Sokon's production lines now mainly make Aito M5 vehicles while Seres SF5 deliveries are suspended, Securities Times reported today, citing the older brand's customer service staff.

Bookings of Seres SF5 are suspended but the brand hasn't gone out of production, an insider close to Huawei said to Securities Times. All the vehicles that can be delivered before the Spring Festival in February are already sold out so no new supply will be made available in the short term, the person added.

The automaker has sought to appease the buyers. Two days after the release of Aito M5, Sokon extended the warranties of some Seres SF5 parts to a lifetime. Moreover, it offered buyers of the old model a discount of CNY10,000 (USD1,574) to purchase any Aito vehicle. But clients said the scope of warranty is not clear and that it is still expensive to buy a new car.

In the first 11 months of last year, Huawei sold almost 7,100 Seres SF5 vehicles, priced between CNY216,800 and CNY246,800 (up to USD38,840), according to Huawei sales staff. The fresh brand is more expensive as the prices of Aito M5 range between CNY250,000 and CNY320,000. But bookings tally more than 6,000 units per week, the staff added.

Editor: Emmi Laine, Xiao Yi