Xiaomi’s first EV is the freshest take on a ‘smartphone on wheels.’ Chinese smartphone manufacturer Xiaomi has unveiled the SU7, the company’s first electric vehicle. The electric vehicle industry is becoming increasingly competitive, and this new product is expected to be introduced in China in the coming year. In a society preoccupied with software, this is just another attempt to coordinate the technology people find in their mobile devices with the technology in their automobiles.
China’s Xiaomi might have a chance. This is due to Xiaomi’s “HyperOS,” a brand-new architecture on which the company has worked for over six years. This design is intended to be dynamic enough to power anything, including smart home systems, smartphones, and automobiles. The objective is to provide a more seamless experience in which your applications and preferences are always easily accessible, regardless of where you are.
By any stretch of the imagination, this is not a novel concept. It is the same pitch that the creator of Faraday Future initially presented many years ago when he was pushing his initial electric car project in China, a component of his technology conglomerate.
That experiment was unsuccessful, but in the years that have passed since then, there have been many attempts to come closer to a future in which the software in our cars is comparable to the software on our phones. There are pretty literal versions of Apple’s CarPlay and Google’s Android Auto, which reflect the software on the phone and the vehicle screen. Additionally, Google has collaborated with several mobile manufacturers to produce an Android version that powers the information system associated with a vehicle. SApple is taking similar actions even though the company is far further behind and has just recently revealed its first two clients since last week.
On the other hand, attempts to bring everything in-house tend to become more complex. Apple has been working on its automobile project for years but has constantly switched its emphasis and swung in other directions. Volkswagen has tried to construct its in-car software team but has encountered great difficulty. Though it has rejected CarPlay and Android Auto to preserve control over its displays, Tesla has created a rich in-car software experience for its vehicles.
On the other hand, Xiaomi stands out. It is now conceivable for corporations with large pockets, such as Xiaomi, to attempt something like developing a ready-made car for its software. The establishment of a dominant electric vehicle supply chain in China and the rapid advancement (and reduction in cost) of electric vehicle-related technologies have made this possible. Huawei also supports its own electric vehicle company in China, so it is not alone in this endeavor. On the other hand, Xiaomi is the most wholly integrated attempt thus far.
At first glance, the specifications appear to be rather remarkable. Although this is based on China’s optimistic test cycle, the manufacturer claims that the battery has a range of up to 800 kilometers on a full charge, just short of 500 miles. The higher-end variant, constructed on top of a 101-kilowatt-hour battery pack manufactured by the Chinese company CATL, has this feature. A base model with only 73.6 kWh of capacity can go closer to 668 kilometers, which is equivalent to 415 miles, on a single charge. They can charge quickly at a speed of 0 to 100 kilometers per hour in just 2.78 seconds (220 kilometers in five minutes). A later date will be announced for the pricing.
Despite all of this, the most significant obstacle that Xiaomi will have to overcome is the same one that each new automobile manufacturer will face: The design and construction of automobiles that are both dependable and secure at a large scale is a highly challenging endeavor, regardless of the technology that is being utilized. When this is considered, making the experience of being in the automobile more smooth feels like a layup.
