Xiaomi unveiled their new smart ecosystem and electric car ahead of MWC Barcelona 2024, offering more details on the project.
The Chinese smartphone giant Xiaomi revealed its efforts to target a mass market of niche consumers who will pay for its upcoming release of their electric vehicle (EV): the Xiaomi SU7. The information came out of an interview with the company’s president, Weibing Lu, who discussed the international reveal of their electric car ahead of the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain (MWC) – which kicks off today. He also detailed how the EV innovation goes beyond just an electric car and breaks ground in the smart ecosystem space, calling their strategy “Human x Car x Home.”
Director of Communications for Xiaomi International, Daniel Desjarlais, explained how the SU7 bridges and integrates their latest project on connectivity: “At Xiaomi, technology will always be centred on humanity. Our innovation is designed first and foremost based on the needs of our users…By integrating people, cars, and homes, we aim to create an end-to-end interconnectivity beyond anything available today.” He continued by inviting Mobile World Congress attendees to discover how the company is transforming human and tech connectivity to the next level.
Lu told CNBC that Xiaomi had run the numbers showing that they “already have 20 million premium users in China” who would most likely be interested in their new EV. He also stated that the company considered a range of price points, from entry-level to luxury, for a car, and it is spending $10 billion to develop it. The smartphone producer initially announced the EV back in late December 2023 but has not revealed a price yet.
The SU7 was described as a “full-size high-performance eco-technology sedan” that goes beyond the limits of performance, ecosystem integration, and the mobile smart space. Xiaomi also noted their design of the car also allowed them to develop five core EV technologies: E-Motor, CTB Integrated Battery, Xiaomi Die-Casting, Xiaomi Pilot Autonomous Driving, and Smart Cabin. This endeavour was said to have over 3,400 engineers and 1,000 technical experts tapped into the efforts to design the SU7. This new EV will be challenging the likes of Tesla and Porsche, in terms of performance matching innovation.
The Beijing-based tech company have ranked third in global shipments in the smartphone industry, behind Apple and Samsung—according to various market analyses. The company has been known to branch into more new spaces such as TV’s and home appliances, which are often supported through their smartphones. This is where the new smart ecosystem comes in.
In the fall, Xiaomi launched a new operating system called HyperOS, which claimed the system included A.I. that could automatically learn from user behaviour to adjust connected devices, such as home lighting. “In the future, we think it’s not [that] we give the instruction to the device but actually [that] the device can understand your needs and meet your needs proactively,” Lu said.
While HyperOS is currently only available on the new Xiaomi 14, it will be rolling out on their upcoming appliances and the highly-anticipated EV. Be sure to check out CGMagazine’s review of the Xiaomi 14!
