Chinese smartphone giant Xiaomi will be unveiling its first engineering prototype of its first electric car next month (August 2022). According to media reports, the Xiaomi electric car prototype will be unveiled by the company’s founder Lei Jun at a public event next month.
Once its unveiled, the Xiaomi electric car will undergo a series of road tests, including its first winter tests before hitting mass production in 2024 at the company’s auto manufacturing plan and R&D center that will be built in Yizhuang with an initial capacity of 150,000 units per year, which will be doubled to 300,000 once the plant is completely built.
It is pertinent to mention that an alleged picture of the Xiaomi electric car has already been leaked online and showcases a long low-slung 4-door sedan model.
As the company prepares to launch its automotive brand, it has already hired a public relations (PR) director and its marketing campaign is set to commence after the prototype goes public next month. However, this isn’t going to be the first electric vehicle introduced by the company as that title goes to the Xiaomi M365 electric scooter.
Moreover, there are reports that suggest Xiaomi has plans to introduce 4 electric cars across two different segments. The entry level vehicles are said to be in the price range of $22,000 – $29,000 and will get L2+ autonomous driving, while the flagship models will be priced between US$29,000 – $44,000 and will be equipped with L3 autonomous driving tech.
Xiaomi initially announced plans to enter the global electric car market in 2021 and the company has even committed $10 billion investment towards it new automotive division over the next ten years.