Xiaomi is rumored to be planning to make electric vehicles (EVs) in a bid to compete with Tesla and the upcoming Apple Car.
A Reuters' report published on Friday, Mar. 26, said that the Chinese electronics giant had asked Great Wall Motor to use one of the car manufacturers' factories.
Xiaomi's Rumored Plans to Expand Horizons
Sources who leaked the info to Reuters said that Xiaomi is seeking to diversify its revenue streams, as the profit the company gets from its smartphone business is not that significant.
Chinese news agency 36Kr also revealed in an article published on Mar. 19 that Xiaomi CEO Lei Jun and his executives are already working on the project and targets to start production in one to two months at the earliest.
The report also said that Lei would be leading the project himself and had discussed with Chinese luxury EV manufacturer Nio about working together on the project.
Xiaomi is also eyeing Great Wall to provide them engineering consultancy to help speed up its EVs' design and production.
Rumors also say that both companies will make the announcement of their partnership soon, but they are declining to comment at this time.
EVs produced under the smartphone giant's brand will be marketed to mid to high-end consumers and will be available worldwide.
If the rumors were true, EV fans would be seeing Xiaomi's electric cars as early as 2023.
Is Xiaomi Ready to Join the EV Race?
Unlike Apple, Xiaomi is not new to the auto industry.
According to Carbuzz's report on Thursday, Mar. 25, the Chinese electronics company had collaborated with Lamborghini in 2020 to develop the ultimate go-kart.
Named the Ninebot GoKart Pro Lamborghini Edition, the Italian carmaker had enveloped the go-kart with a rugged steel material for the bodywork and added a sports steering wheel and a large rear spoiler.
It is also designed to accommodate up to 100 kg of weight and powered by a pure electric module with a 432Wh battery, allowing it to run 62 laps around a 400-meter track.
In 2019, Xiaomi launched its SUV in collaboration with Chinese car manufacturer FAW group.
The Bestune T77 Xiaomi Edition carries a 1.2-liter turbo engine that produces a maximum output power of 143 hp (106kW) and 204 N-m of maximum torque, as well as a 6-speed manual transmission gearbox.
The SUV also features the XiaoAI voice assistant's support, which is placed on a 3D holographic display and answers the driver's questions about the road.
The XiaoAI voice assistant is also designed to connect to Xiaomi's Smart Home System, allowing the driver to control appliances at home while on the road.
However, since the Bestune T77 Xiaomi Edition was released only to the Chinese market, the XiaoAI only understands Chinese and its local dialects.
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Written by Lee Mercado
