The Avatr 12 (; pronounced "one two" or "yao er", not "twelve") is a battery electric and extended range executive car produced by Avatr Technology, a joint venture between Changan Automobile and lithium-ion battery provider CATL. It is the second vehicle under the Avatr brand.
In July 2023, Avatr Technology presented the second model in its range as part of the expansion of the range that so far consisted of only the 11. The 12 took the form of a flagship executive car combining the features of a sedan and a fastback in its proportions. Like the 11, the styling design was created by former BMW designer Nader Faghihzadeh.
The characteristic visual features of the 11 with massive proportions were transferred to a more slender silhouette, which retained round edges, double lighting with a "C" motif and narrow strips of rear lamps. The door handles were hidden, and the small rear window was integrated with the smoothly sloping glass of the low roof. The edge of the trunk lid is topped with an optionally hinged spoiler, which opens together with the window, as in liftbacks. The car is also equipped with an optional camera system replacing traditional side mirrors. The wheels come in two sizes: 20 or 21 inches.
The interior features a steering wheel with an oval shape, and the central 15.6-inch touchscreen of the multimedia system dominates the central console. One large horizontal screen across the entire width of the cockpit.
The updated 12 was revealed on 20 March 2026, with sales beginning on 8 April. Major changes include new updated powertrain options and an upgraded ADAS system. The exterior now has pocket-style door handles replacing the previous power retracting type handles, and the interior features a new more prominent emergency mechanical door release located in the armrest in addition to the existing electronic release. Interior changes also include a more conventional door card, with power window controls moved from underneath the infotainment display to the armrest along with an open storage area. The steering wheel has new additional voice command and power boost button, the driver monitoring system has been upgraded, the headliner is now velour, and an "AVATR MAG" magnetic accessory attachment point has been added to the rear of the center console. The ADAS system has been upgraded to Huawei Qiankun ADS 4, which continues to use a 4-LiDAR sensor setup but has been updated to use Huawei's latest 896-line LiDAR. The 12 now features magnetorheological damping on its existing air suspension system, which uses a double wishbone geometry at the front and multilink setup at the rear. The front row receives a new center airbag.
The updated 12 uses a new Taihang Intelligent Control 2.0 drive system, which uses two motors each individually powering the rear wheels allowing the vehicle to correct for differential thrust in low-grip conditions. Avatr says the Taihang system can keep the vehicle under control in the event of a tire blowout at up to speeds up to . The dual rear motors also lead to increased power output, with the base rear-wheel drive range extender variant outputting , while the top pure electric tri-motor all-wheel drive model outputs and is capable of a claimed 0 acceleration time of 2.71 seconds. The pure electric version also receives a new battery capable of 6C charging from 3080% in 10 minutes.
On 12 August 2024, Avatr showcased a limited edition of the 12 called the Avatr 012 and opened bookings the same day, after first teasing the special edition earlier that year on 20 May. The model is codesigned by Avatr head designer Nader Faghihzadeh and Kim Jones, who was an artistic director at Dior and Fendi at the time. The exterior features custom 'liquid silver' paint, modified headlights, and 21-inch mirror-finished forged wheels. The interior uses the four-seater version with four-zone climate control, and features two-tone white vegetable-tanned Nappa leather and tan Alcantara upholstery, a geometric star design on the panoramic sunroof, special edition logos embossed in the headrests, and custom logo splash screen in the infotainment system. The steering wheel and B-pillar can have personalized engravings.
It uses a dual-motor Huawei DriveONE powertrain paired with a 93.4kWh CATL-supplied battery capable of 5C charging. It has a CLTC range rating of , 0 acceleration time of 3.8 seconds, a top speed of , and it can charge from 3080% in 10 minutes. Production is limited to 700 units globally, and the vehicle comes with a complimentary Dior tote bag. The vehicle launched on 25 March 2025 at a significantly higher price of 700,000 yuan.
The 12 was created for the domestic Chinese market, where its official debut took place in August 2023, and in early September, during IAA Mobility 2023 in Munich, the car was also presented to the European public. The beginning of deliveries of the first units to buyers was scheduled for December of the same year, positioning the model as a premium product. Sales began in China on 10 November 2023.
After partnering with the Alattiya dealer in August 2024, the Avatr 12 was launched in Qatar on 24 February 2025.
At launch, the 12 was available with two pure electric powertrain options, with motors are provided by Huawei. The base powertrain consists of one motor powering the rear axle, which can be upgraded to a dual-motor all-wheel drive system with a total power of . The battery packs are supplied by Avatr co-creator and co-shareholder of Avatr CATL, and the BEV versions all using 94.53kWh NMC pack capable of 240kW peak charging speeds, allowing for a 3080% charging time of 20minutes, providing a range of for the RWD and AWD variants, respectively. For 2025, the 12 was upgraded with updated motors, with the rear-wheel drive variant now outputting and CLTC range increasing by to , and all-wheel drive variants outputting and a similar range increase to . For 2026, the rear axle powertrain was upgraded to a twin-motor setup of 251kW motors for a total of , while the all-wheel drive version adds a 210kW front motor for a total of and a claimed 0 acceleration time of 2.71 seconds. The battery for all electric models has been updated to a 98.07kWh NMC pack supplied by CATL, capable of 6C charging, a 560kW peak charge rate, and allowing for a 3080% charging time of 10minutes.
In 2025, a range extender powertrain option was added. It uses a 1.5-liter turbocharged inline-four petrol engine provided by Changan with a peak power output of , and is capable of contributing up to when running. It is exclusively available with a rear motor, and has a 39kWh LFP pack capable of 240kW peak charging speeds, allowing for a 3080% charging time of 20minutes, providing a CLTC electric range of , and a combined range of . In 2025, the battery was upgraded to a 52kWh LFP pack with a CLTC electric range of . In 2026, the motors were upgraded to a twin-motor setup of 200kW motors for a total of .