Rumors of Chinese smartphone giant Xiaomi entering the car-making industry have been a hot topic of discussion among Chinese Internet users recently. Now, while the company has yet to officially announce its intention to start building cars, the trademark for "Xiaomi Motors" has been registered by another company.
The Chinese trademark for "Xiaomi Motors" (小米汽车) has been registered by Shaoxing Jixiang Textiles, with the international classification of advertising and sales, transportation and trademark status of "pending," according to data provider Tianyancha.
Reuters reported on Friday that Xiaomi is in talks with Great Wall Motors to use one of the latter's factories in China to produce its own brand of electric cars.
Xiaomi's electric car would be aimed at the mass market, in line with the company's positioning in the electronics market, and Great Wall Motors would provide engineering consulting services to Xiaomi to accelerate the project.
Great Wall Motors has not previously provided manufacturing services to other companies, and Xiaomi and Great Wall Motors could announce their partnership as soon as early next week, the report said.
Great Wall Motors Vice President Fu Xiaokang responded, "We have no comment on this matter."
Great Wall Motors is committed to building an industrial Internet-based, open eco-platform that welcomes partners from all relevant industries, Fu said.
Xiaomi responded to the rumor by saying that the announcement would govern everything.
But then, Xu Jieyun, deputy director of Xiaomi Group's general office, said, "this is fake news that is complete nonsense."
Xiaomi exec dismisses report that it's teaming up with Great Wall to build cars as fake news
