Multiple images circulating on Chinese social media show details of the body of what is said to be Xiaomi's first EV model.
(Image from social media platform Xiaohongshu.)
As Chinese smartphone giant Xiaomi's car-making efforts move forward, more spy shots of its first model have been revealed.
On Chinese social media platform Xiaohongshu, a user posted multiple spy shots of the body of what is said to be Xiaomi's EV, showing off a lot of design details despite it being wrapped in camouflage.
These spy shots show the model as a sedan with frameless doors, hidden door handles, and a charging port located at the rear of the body.
The car bears the Xiaomi logo on the speaker located on the doors, suggesting that this is supposed to be an EV model being built by Xiaomi.
Xiaomi officially announced its entry into car building on March 30, 2021, stating that it would invest RMB 10 billion yuan ($1.37 billion) in its automotive business in the first phase, with $10 billion expected to be invested over the next 10 years.
At the end of November 2021, Xiaomi signed a contract with the Beijing authorities to build a headquarters base for its automotive business as well as a sales headquarters and R&D headquarters in Yizhuang, and would build a factory with an annual production capacity of 300,000 vehicles.
The plant would be built in two phases, with annual production capacity of 150,000 units in the first and second phases, respectively, an announcement at the time said, adding that Xiaomi's first car is expected to roll off the production line and go into mass production in 2024.
Xiaomi has made few announcements about the progress of its car-making efforts over the past two years, with its executives' only few mentions repeating that the company's first EV model will be launched in 2024.
On August 23, Reuters reported that the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), which oversees new investment and capacity in China's automotive sector, had approved Xiaomi's production of EVs.
Xiaomi's EV unit becomes the fourth company to receive NDRC approval since late 2017, the report noted. Over the past few years, China has become stricter in regulating vehicle production qualifications.
On September 6, local media outlet Jiemian cited a person familiar with the matter as saying that Xiaomi's EV was in the trial production stage, which had been underway for nearly a month, producing about 50 prototypes per week.
Xiaomi could receive approval from the MIIT in the last two months and by the end of the year at the latest, the report said.
($1 = RMB 7.3151)
Xiaomi has begun EV trial production, with run rate of 50 prototypes per week, report says
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