We have been waiting for news of the Xiaomi’s first electric car. The Chinese technology manufacturer has long been seeking to launch a vehicle on the market and has even shown part of the technology it hopes to incorporate at one of its own events last summer.
So, the image shown was that of a large sedan, with the dimensions and shapes of a luxury vehicle. But rumors have been pointing out for a long time that this segment is far from the one that Xiaomi wanted to attack.
Although there is nothing official, there is talk of a car that will start from a barrier close to 100,000 yuan (about 12.500 euros) and that could raise its price up to 300,000 yuan depending on the technologies or technical capacities chosen.
Xiaomi MS11, a sedan coupe
There had been talk of the possibility that the Xiaomi car would arrive in SUV or saloon format. During some driving tests in the city and in Inner Mongolia, where the car has been tested in the cold, the body that has been seen is a saloon.
And, finally, this seems to be the final form presented by the Xiaomi MS11, the first electric car of the firm. As has been leaked on Weibo, this will be the name of the vehicle and it will be in the shape of a coupe saloon, an option that some manufacturers are choosing to improve the electrical capabilities of their vehicles.
Some details can be seen in its bodywork. Among them are headlights that imitate the shapes that we have seen McLaren in recent years (especially at the rear) and, above all, a LiDAR sensor at the front, one of the star sensors for autonomous driving.
The inclusion of a sensor LiDAR gives some insight into Xiaomi’s ambitions for autonomous driving. In the summer there was talk of the possibility of having a fully autonomous robotaxi on the streets in 2024, for which LiDAR could be a point in favor. The problem? This sensor is not particularly cheap and, in fact, it is one of the purchase arguments that Volvo promotes for its EX90.
For now, Xiaomi’s intention is sell this vehicle en masse in 2024, so throughout this year we should know more details about the vehicle, confirm that the leak corresponds to the final image of the vehicle and what autonomy, engine and equipment packages the brand ends up offering.
Photos | Weibo
