In November 2021, it was stated that Xiaomi might introduce its first electric vehicle (EV) in 2024. Now, a rumour from Sina Tech (via) claims that Xiaomi's founder Lei Jun will introduce the company's first car prototype in the following month (August).
According to the report, Jun spends nearly two-thirds of his time at the Xiaomi Auto headquarters keeping an eye on the development of the company's first vehicle. The business will carry out a number of tests following its launch in August, including its first winter test. The first Xiaomi automobile is expected to be mass-produced by the business in 2024.
HVST Automobile Design will be in charge of creating the first electric vehicle prototype for Xiaomi. For those who don't know, it was the same firm that created the Maven concept car for WM Motor. The report also mentions the company's plans to recruit a PR director, which suggests that a marketing campaign could be launched in the near future.
The corporation formally announced its intention to enter the electric vehicle market in March 2021. It declared that it would make an initial investment of $1.5 billion, followed by a further $10 billion over the following ten years. It formally registered Xiaomi Auto Co., Ltd. in September 2021.
In November 2021, it inked an agreement with the Beijing Economic and Technological Development Area Management Committee to construct the Xiaomi Auto headquarters and its R&D division in Yizhuang. The plant, which has a workforce of more than 1,000, can supposedly produce 300,000 automobiles annually.
Apparently, Xiaomi plans to introduce A+ and B class vehicles. The former will cost between 150,000 and 200,000 Yuan (about $22,230 and $29,640) and have L2 autonomous driving support. The latter, however, will support Level 3 autonomous driving and may cost between 200,000 and 300,000 Yuan (about $29,640 and 44,460).
