Maextro V800 Brake Test Fallout: JAC Shares Hit Daily Limit as Safety Questions Mount

A dramatic sequence of events has put JAC and its Huawei-backed ultra-luxury brand Maextro under intense scrutiny, after a widely circulated braking test controversy wiped out a 10 percent slice of the automaker’s market value in a single session.

At the center of the storm is the Maextro V800, a flagship MPV that entered the Chinese market on August 5 with a price ladder stretching from 766,000 yuan to 1,016,000 yuan — roughly $113,700 to $150,800 at current exchange rates. Positioned at the very apex of Huawei’s HIMA brand family, the V800 was conceived to challenge established high-end players like the Toyota Alphard and Lexus LM in China’s business mobility segment.

The trouble began when Dongchedi, a Chinese automotive information platform, published footage of emergency braking trials conducted from 100 km/h to a complete stop. According to the platform’s testing team, all three V800 MPVs evaluated suffered failures of the brake pedal bracket. The timeline described in the video is striking: the first vehicle’s bracket gave way on its third braking attempt, the second failed on its fourth, and a third unit acquired afterward broke during its second attempt. With the pedal rendered ineffective, testers reportedly had to bring the vehicles to a halt using the emergency braking function triggered through the Park control.

It is important to note that these accounts come solely from the testing team. No official investigation has been completed, and neither JAC nor Huawei’s Harmony Intelligent Mobility Alliance has issued a public response to the claims.

The fallout on the stock market was immediate. JAC shares (SSE: 600418) closed the morning session at 24.72 yuan, down 10.01 percent and pinned at the daily limit — a sharp reversal after several consecutive days of gains. The decline followed a September 30 disclosure in which JAC noted that its cumulative closing-price gain had exceeded 20 percent across the trading days of September 28, 29 and 30. In that same announcement, the company acknowledged exploratory talks with both Huawei and Stellantis, while cautioning that no scope or structure had been settled and no binding agreement signed.

Reaction online has been divided. Some voices urged JAC to launch a formal probe, while others raised methodological questions — specifically whether repeated high-intensity braking procedures align with applicable standards and whether such tests faithfully mirror everyday driving conditions. JAC leadership has repeatedly emphasized that Maextro’s commercial success is a priority, with Chairman Xiang Xingchu signaling continued investment in the ultra-luxury tier and further expansion of the brand’s lineup. For now, the episode leaves both the vehicle’s safety narrative and the company’s investor story awaiting clarification.