- Olga Kokorina
- Translated by Olga Apetenok
- Ru He Ar
Xiaomi Modena. Not a smartphone, but an electric car
The Chinese company Xiaomi is known for its smartphones and other gadgets. And now the electronics giant is preparing to release its first car. The Xiaomi Modena is not a smartphone, but an electric car, although we doubt it a little, because Xiaomi cars will be richly equipped with electronics of the parent company. The firstborn of the Chinese IT giant will be unveiled in 2024. The photos show that the electric sedan will receive a panoramic glass roof and will be equipped with a LiDAR autonomous driving system. The manufacturer will begin accepting pre-orders in 2023, while prototypes are being tested. Approximate prices are already known: 38,000-44,000 dollars.
Founded in 2010, Xiaomi has come a long way from a smartphone maker to a maker of various products. Today, the Chinese IT giant produces not only mobile devices, but also TVs, household appliances and even clothing. Cars will be coming soon. The Xiaomi Automobile division was founded in 2021. It is planned to invest 10 billion dollars in it. The company is based in the Beijing Economic-Technological Development Area.
Exterior
The photos, which can be used to judge the appearance of the future model, indicate that the new Xiaomi Modena is a sedan with an aerodynamic body shape, a long hood, a sloping roof and a LiDAR sensor on the roof. Details are hidden by a special tape, which is pasted over the car. The LiDAR unit itself fits in very harmoniously with the overall exterior of the car and looks more like an upper air intake, making the car looking sportier. There is a camera behind the rear window. The photos show large disc brakes with Brembo calipers, as well as the Mi logo on the rims.
Versions
Xiaomi developed the electric motor for its car independently. By the way, this is not the first smartphone manufacturer that will independently produce electric motors. For example, Huawei, a well-known supplier of smartphones and network equipment, also produces and supplies electric motors.
Xiaomi plans to sell its first car in three versions, each of which will be equipped with Qualcomm’s ultra-modern 8295 chips, which have not even entered mass production yet. The first two Xiaomi Modena versions will receive BYD’s Blade iron-phosphate batteries that support 400V charging. The third version will get CATL’s Qilin battery, which will operate within an 800-volt electrical architecture that allows charging from 0 to 80% in just 15 minutes. Of course, mass-produced cars will be richly equipped with electronics from the parent company.
Tests
The car was first noticed on the roads in July 2022: the car was distinguished by a system of sensors and lidars located on the roof. In January 2023, two prototypes went to the north of China, to the region of Inner Mongolia, which is distinguished by its severe weather conditions. The founder and CEO of the company Lei Jun himself participates in the tests, which indicates the importance of the automotive project for Xiaomi.
Xiaomi wants to assemble cars on its own, without contractors’ help. Therefore, from the middle of 2022, the manufacturer started building a car assembly plant, which plans to produce 150,000 cars a year annually, and in the future the output will be increased to 300,000. In addition, there is the Xiaomi Automobile Technology division, focused on autonomous driving technologies.
