Xiaomi’s first EV is the freshest tackle a ‘smartphone on wheels’

Chinese language smartphone big Xiaomi has revealed its first electrical automobile, a sharp-looking sedan known as the SU7.

Slated to roll out in China subsequent yr, it’s one other entry into an increasingly-crowded marketplace for EVs. It’s additionally one other try on this software-obsessed world to match up the expertise folks discover of their telephones to what goes on inside their automobile.

Xiaomi might need a shot. That’s as a result of the automobile will run Xiaomi’s “HyperOS,” a brand new structure the corporate has been working on for greater than six years that’s imagined to be dynamic sufficient to energy every part together with telephones, sensible residence techniques and automobiles. The purpose is a extra seamless expertise, one the place your apps and preferences are able to go irrespective of the place you might be.

This isn’t a brand new thought by any stretch. It’s the identical pitch Faraday Future’s founder initially gave many years ago when selling his unique electrical automobile venture in China, part of his tech conglomerate on the time.

That effort failed, however there have been many various makes an attempt within the years since to get nearer to a world the place in-car software program resembles the telephones in our pockets. There are fairly literal variations of this in Apple’s CarPlay and Google’s Android Auto, which mirror a telephone’s software program on the in-car display screen. Google has additionally developed a model of Android that may power a car’s entire infotainment system and has partnered with a variety of automakers. Apple is doing one thing related, although it’s a lot farther behind and solely simply introduced its first two customers last week.

Efforts to take every part in-house, although, are inclined to get difficult. Apple has spent years working by itself automobile venture, however has repeatedly pivoted and shifted focus. Volkswagen tried to construct up its personal powerhouse in-car software program workforce however has struggled mightily. Tesla has developed a sturdy in-car software program expertise for its autos, although it has resisted CarPlay and Android Auto in favor of sustaining management of its screens.

Xiaomi stands aside, then. Due to the proliferation of a dominant electrical automobile provide chain in China, plus the fast development (and sinking prices) of electrical automobile expertise, it’s now doable for deep-pocketed corporations like Xiaomi to try one thing like constructing a automobile that’s ready-made for its software program. It’s not precisely alone, as Huawei can be backing its personal EV startup in China. However Xiaomi is essentially the most fully-integrated effort to this point.

As for the specs, they appear spectacular on paper. The corporate is claiming as a lot vary on a full cost as 800km, or simply shy of 500 miles, although that’s on China’s rosy check cycle. That’s on the higher-end mannequin, which is constructed atop a 101kWh battery pack from Chinese language big CATL. A base mannequin with simply 73.6kWh of capability will allegedly get nearer to 668km, or 415 miles, on a cost. They may cost quick (220km in 5 minutes) and will probably be quick (0-100km/h in simply 2.78 seconds). Pricing will come at a later date.

Regardless of all this, Xiaomi’s greatest problem would be the similar that faces any new vehicle-maker: it’s an extremely tough job to design and construct automobiles at scale which can be dependable and secure, whatever the underlying expertise. With that in thoughts, making the in-car expertise extra seamless looks like a layup.