Xiaomi Automobile’s first prototype will debut in August 2022, according to Chinse media Xcar. This marks a significant milestone for Xiaomi’s Smart Electric Vehicle business. This also shows that the brand is on track for mass production of its first car, which is expected to start in the first half of 2024.
Formed in April 2010, Xiaomi is one of the most well-known tech brands in the world. It is the second-largest smartphone manufacturer in the world, with Samsung being the first. While Xiaomi is famous for its smartphones, the brand has, over the years, branched out into the manufacturing of other consumer electronics like TVs, speakers, wearables, personal hygiene products, and even security camera systems.
On March 30, 2021, Xiaomi announced it would be venturing into the electric mobility space and announced the establishment of the Xiaomi Smart Electric Vehicle business. The EV market is quite lucrative, and some of the largest tech giants venture into the manufacturing of electric vehicles. Other tech brands interested in EVs include the likes of Apple and Google.
Xiaomi simply had to participate in the EV revolution. Xiaomi Auto was established to develop and manufacture tech-savvy and intelligent electric cars. The initial investment in the business was 10 Billion Yuan (1.48 Billion USD). This investment is expected to increase manifold to 67.44 Billion Yuan (10 Billion USD) within 10 years.
Xiaomi Inc CEO Lei Jun took up the CEO position for the Smart Electric Vehicle business too. In November 2021, the brand announced its association with the Beijing Economic and Technological Development Zone, placing the Xiaomi Auto manufacturing unit in the industrial park.
Now, reports have revealed that the Xiaomi Auto prototype is almost ready for its debut and might be revealed in August. Once this prototype is shown, the testing phase for the same will begin, and Xiaomi intends to test it over the winter. A prototype was recently spotted, and a couple of pictures of the same surfaced.
Xiaomi seems to have gone for a premium sedan as its first electric car. It certainly looks striking with its sleek yet practical design. The sedan appears sporty but tends to inch more towards the practical side at the rear. The pictures also reveal testing equipment mounted on the roof of the Xiaomi prototype, and it does stick out. Once this is removed, though, the Xiaomi Auto prototype will look great. Specifications and other details are still awaited.
While the production-ready model might be a little distant at the moment, revealing the prototype in August means the much-awaited electric car is on track for its planned mass production start in 2024. In the interim, some exciting pictures have surfaced from the Xiaomi Technology Park in Beijing.
The images depict a Rivian R1T electric pickup truck, which is a rather exciting find at this point. Rivian is an American EV and EV tech manufacturer that has recently created waves in the EV space.
Though Rivian was formed in 2009, the brand took its sweet time developing its first product. Rivian finally started deliveries of the R1T and R1S electric vehicles in late 2021, and they are packed with brilliant technology. Both models are capable off-roaders with 360mm of ground clearance. Performance is astonishing, with both models accelerating from 0-100km/h in under three seconds.
The fact that the Rivian was spotted inside the Xiaomi Technology Park in Beijing at a time when Xiaomi was developing its first electric car is rather interesting. It could either be a benchmark car for the Xiaomi Auto Prototype or Xiaomi might want to take a close look at the kind of technology Rivian has used in the R1T.
What we can say at the moment is that things are getting heated up at Xiaomi Auto. Stay tuned for more details regarding the Xiaomi Auto electric car.
Sources: XCar, RivianOwnersForum
