Chinese mobile-phone maker Xiaomi will launch its first electric vehicle this month, a four-door tech-laden sedan that it hopes will capture interest at a time when EV sales in China are slowing and a host of competitors are cutting prices.
The company, best known for its popular smartphones and home appliances, will launch its SU7 model on March 28 in China, Chief Executive Lei Jun said in a post on his Weibo account Tuesday. Xiaomi Motor, the consumer electronics giant’s auto unit, said in a separate post on Weibo the car will be available for delivery at the same time.
Xiaomi is also hoping that the car's shared operating system with its phones and other devices will appeal to existing customers.
It is one of the few new prospective entrants to the China's electric car market to gain approval from authorities as officials try to curb a flood of new players.
The SU7 will be made by a unit of state-owned car manufacturer BAIC Group at a plant in Beijing that can produce as many as 200,000 vehicles a year.
