Xiaomi could take the wraps off its debut EV later this year

Chinese tech giant Xiaomi has been working on its EV project for the last two years. The company’s debut EV finally got greenlit for production last month. The EV is also rumoured to be in the final phases of summer testing. Xiaomi has reportedly registered the ‘xiaomiev.com’ domain name for its upcoming electric car. The company is hoping for a mid-2024 release for the EV after revealing it later this year.

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Xiaomi EV: Everything we know so far

Xiaomi’s debut EV is internally codenamed MS11. Local media outlets in China report that around 50 prototype units of the MS11 are being built weekly. The MS11 has received ‘Modena’ as a nickname from the local Chinese media. While the company has received government approval for the production of Modena, it is yet to receive approval from China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology to begin selling the car.

Earlier this year, the car design images of the Modena were leaked online. Xiaomi reportedly levied a fine of $149,000 on the supplier responsible for the leak. If the design images are anything to go by, the EV will look similar to the BYD Seal. The latter was showcased at Auto Expo India in January. Xiaomi’s PR department denied that the design images were a part of the final product.

The Modena is rumoured to be powered by a 101kWh battery and 800V electrical architecture. With that battery pack, the EV could offer a driving range of 800km on a single charge. This battery pack will likely be outsourced from other Chinese EV manufacturers. Xiaomi will develop the electric motor for the EV internally.

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Conclusion

So far, the tech giant has invested over 3 billion yuan ($433 million) in its EV project without over 2,300 employees involved in the R&D. Once launched, Modena will rival the likes of Tesla Model 3 and BYD Seal. Prices for the EV could start at 200,000 yuan ($27,400). It remains to be seen whether the EV will be launched in India.

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