Xiaomi, A Chinese smartphone giant now testing its luck in the electric vehicle segment. The brand officially wraps off its first electric vehicle on Thursday. Further Xiaomi proudly announced that it is aiming to become one of the world’s top five automakers within the next two decades.
The brand has announced in 2021 that it will definitely want to try its hand in the electric mobility transition. And the unprecedented transition of the electronics giant is the brave step in the new electronic venture. Debut it’s sedan dubbed SU7, an acronym for Speed Ultra, is a highly anticipated model that Co-Founder touted as having “super electric motor” technology. That makes this SU7 capable of delivering acceleration speed faster than the Tesla cars and Porsche’s EVs.
Xiaomi Co-founder Lei Jun says to Reuters, that he vows to become a global automobile leader within 15 to 20 years and to build a “Dream Car” that can compete with Tesla and Porsche.
As the Chinese government has clamped down on manufacturing permits to new players, which means Xiaomi has to partner with state-owned Beijing Automotive Holding Group to build its EVs according to The Business Times. Further it will also have to contend with the Chinese auto power house BYD, a new world leader and rival of Tesla in full electric vehicle sales, reports Bloomberg.
The SU7 will be equipped with Xiaomi software and electronics, a 101 kWh battery that offers a maximum range of 800 km (nearly 500 miles) as per CATL estimate. Also the EV will come in a single or dual motor configuration as per customer needs. Another impressive quality is its AWD version packing 475 kW of power for 0-100 km per hour acceleration in 2.78 seconds and a top speed of 265 km per hour.
Bill Russo, CEO of Shanghai-based advisory firm Automobility said, “Xiaomi is a well-established consumer electronics brand with hundreds of millions of Mi fans’, or members of its smart device ecosystem,”
It is also expected that the upcoming SU7 will catch the sight of the buyers due to its shared operating system with Xiaomi’s popular phones and other electronic devices. Buyers will also enjoy the seamless access to the company’s existing portfolio of mobile apps.
As the EV segment goes through a leap bound boom with the entry of new players. Xiaomi allegedly wants the car to be available starting in early 2024, with manufacturing beginning before the end of 2023.
