Being a well-known brand in the smartphone world now, one would expect Xiaomi to make a bold move. One that will define the category for years to come. That’s how they got to where they are now with phones (they are the world’s third largest smartphone maker). But inspired by this journey through the past, the tech company is keen to chart a new path for itself. It’s not just about looking 10 years from now, but beyond that. The bold move to create the electric car SU7 is exactly how he took the phone world by storm a decade ago. At stake is not only its eventual seat at the table alongside the world’s biggest automakers, but the future of smartphones as well.
Except this time, the difference is that Xiaomi is spending a lot of money on R&D to build more components in-house, rather than curating a collection of components from vendors. This reduces reliance on component sourcing and minimizes supply chain bias. This is the basis of the five core technologies (E-motor, battery, hypercasting, autonomous driving, smart cabin) that define most EVs overall, especially the Xiaomi SU7. Building the hardware in close sync with what Xiaomi intends the software platform to be should bear fruit once the SU7 launches, but that’s not clear at the moment.
Xiaomi is investing heavily in the EV space, which means the SU7 isn’t likely to be a one-off, nor will it be sacrificed on the altar of accountants like so many concept cars in human history. do. To be precise, 10 billion yuan. There is no external funding, Xiaomi confirmed to HT. Mr. Lei Jun, the founder, chairman and CEO of Xiaomi Group, has set a goal of 15-20 years of effort. Xiaomi wants to become one of the top five car manufacturers in the world.
Xiaomi’s immediate challenge is awareness regarding pricing, but the details are yet to be confirmed and so far unknown. Comparisons in terms of price are inevitable, but assuming the SU7 with more technology will be more expensive compared to, say, Tesla’s Model 3, which has relatively no technology infusion. Speculation about the SU7’s pricing also stems from the vehicle demoed at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) showcase in Barcelona.
HT is just one key part of the expected self-driving technology, with eight cameras installed around the car, and the brakes Xiaomi uses are made by Italian auto braking system giant Brembo. He pointed out that. These are high-performance braking systems that are usually found in very powerful luxury and sports cars.
Comparing the latest and most feature-rich phone, Xiaomi 14 Ultra, to the mobile phone space, Anuj Sharma, Chief Marketing Officer, Xiaomi India said, “Whether we like it or not, Tesla is the benchmark. The same will be true on the mobile phone front, and I think the Xiaomi 14 Ultra will be compared to the Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max on a global scale.” The plan is to continue. “The ultimate goal of this idea is to be good on the technology side, good on the product side and slowly build track record,” he tells his HT.
There are three electric motors that Xiaomi wants to offer with the SU7. The launch spec will be equipped with a Xiaomi HyperEngine V6/V6s motor capable of 21,000 rpm or revolutions per minute. It is offered as a two-wheel drive or four-wheel drive option with different peak power ratings. His HyperEngine V8, scheduled for mass production within the next year, is rated at 27,200 rpm. In the pre-research stage, his even more powerful HyperEngine, capable of delivering 35,000 rpm and equipped with a carbon sleeve, is being developed. It remains to be seen what this means for performance and efficiency, and when this will be introduced to production models.
An investment this important requires a detailed plan of action. “When we announced this project was in 2021, the biggest investment was in our people. Just looking at this part, we really took the time to say, “We’re going to focus on the car and get the car running.” We have some of the best minds at our company, including Chairman Lei Jun, who said: Of course, all the profits generated annually from the existing business were used to fund this project,” Sharma said. It gives you an insight into what you did.
Xiaomi’s battery architecture is only 120 mm thick (equivalent to the height of 14 stacked iPhone 15 Pro Max), uses 91% less wiring harnesses, and takes up approximately less space than most other EVs. 3% smaller. What is very interesting is what Xiaomi refers to the integrated die-cast rear floor and calls it a 72-in-1 unit. This reduces the number of welded joints by 840, makes this component alone 17% lighter (usually lighter weight is good news for his EV battery), and also reduces road noise transmitted to the cabin.
If you’re wondering why Xiaomi hasn’t announced pricing and availability details for the SU7 or SU7 Max, it’s because the testing phase is still underway before the project is given the green light. The tests are also specific. “The biggest test for any electronics is its thermal aspect. When it gets very hot or cold, battery efficiency drops significantly. For the past four to five months, the entire test has been done in frigid climates. ” says Sharma. The idea is to maintain the battery until it shows changes in performance, decreases in reliability, or reaches a breaking point.
Sync with phone etc.
For Xiaomi, this software is more than just a car platform. HyperOS, as the name suggests, was developed to be all-encompassing. Xiaomi’s Android smartphones, tablets and the wider smart home ecosystem are all connected to this. The latest smartphones, Xiaomi 14 Ultra and Xiaomi 14, are the first smartphones to hit stores with HyperOS preloaded. Meanwhile, some existing smartphones and Xiaomi Pad 6 will also receive the software update.
That’s what Xiaomi defines as what it calls a “smart cabin.” Sharma believes HyperOS and his company’s Human x Car x Home approach is important because it taps into his three places where humans spend the most time each day: home, work, and commute. Masu. As Sharma puts it, it’s about “a philosophy that covers these three aspects of him” and the car is in the midst of this transition.
It may require a change in the way some people view cars. “Obviously, a car needs to be more than just a vehicle to get you from point A to point B. How does it connect to your life? With these data points, Essentially, you’ll be able to understand more about how people live their lives. The aim is to make it easier and more seamless,” Sharma says.
Here’s a pretty basic example. Your Xiaomi smartphone knows when you leave the office (this can be based on many indicators, such as your location, the number of steps you tracked, or leaving the office Wi-Fi at certain times of the day). ), the car starts. It automatically heats up and begins adjusting the temperature inside your car to a comfortable temperature before you arrive at the parking lot. At the same time, Sharma believes this is just the beginning, with possibilities that are unimaginable at the moment.
“How the whole interconnected ecosystem and AI aspect unfolds is likely to include features and capabilities in three to five years that we can’t even imagine today. remains the same,” he says. So the most important part of this process is humans. For those of us living in India, we will have to wait if we want to buy the SU7. This is because production will be concentrated in China, our home market, for the time being. But it may not have to wait long, as the global goals are very clear. However, the company has declined to commit to a schedule.
For Xiaomi, car manufacturing is a flexible business, and it shows that it can become a technological powerhouse on a global scale. Sharma thinks the development of this car is exciting, but the company’s plans are not limited to that. There’s more to come across categories. As he defines it, this is a total change in Xiaomi’s philosophy.