Well known for its electronic gadgets, Xiaomi MS11 is the company’s maiden electric car and is set to be unveiled soon
Electric cars are currently all the rage. There are a tonne of new players springing in every once in a while. EV sales are on the rise and the industry is booming too. Mainstream carmakers like Maruti who didn’t fall into this headfirst, are now embracing EVs. With an infinite potential, tech giants want a piece of the pie too.
We’re talking about tech behemoths like Google, Apple, Huawei, Xiaomi, and even Sony. Speaking of Sony, this Japanese tech giant recently revealed an electric vehicle sub-brand named Afeela, under a JV with Honda. Google (Waymo) and Apple (Titan) are making electric cars too.
Afeela and Waymo have entered the prototype phase. But there is another tech giant who’s actively testing its EV and near production-spec vehicle’s pictures have now leaked online. We’re talking about Xiaomi and its infamous MS11 EV. Let’s take a look.
Xiaomi MS11 Maiden Electric Car
Right off the bat, Xiaomi MS11 is a blend of other EVs out there. It bears an uncanny resemblance to BYD Seal. That in itself bore uncanny resemblance to Porsche Taycan. In effect, Xiaomi MS11 seems to be a copycat of a copycat. Unlike BYD Seal, there is no aggression with MS11. Body lines are a lot smoother.
The car in pictures looks fairly production-ready. At front, we have a neatly tapering bonnet and interesting headlight assemblies with four LED projectors. Under headlights, we can see air scoops that are likely to feed air to cool its brakes. There are C-shaped elements inserted into the lower front bumper flanking its air intake.
This is a four-door electric sedan with flush door handles and a coupe-ish rear-sloping profile. The entire roof is one single pane of glass, found in Tesla models and there are interesting alloy wheel designs too. Rear tail lights remind me of the ones found on a Dodge Dart, but inverted.
There is a bulb on its roof housing various LIDAR, radar and other sensors. Something similar was found on Volvo EX90 and reminds me of London Black Cabs. MS11 was spotted winter testing on Chinese roads before. A Weibo user has reportedly leaked pictures ahead of official unveiling by Xiaomi.
Chinese EVs
Right now, China is like a pit of Lithium protected by a fire-breathing dragon. Estimates suggest China is the largest Lithium reserve. And it is no wonder why a majority of batteries are from China. Where electronic gadgets are concerned, Xiaomi has a reputation for aggressive pricing strategies, posing a lucrative proposition.
If the same aggressive pricing strategies are applied to the EV segment, Xiaomi might have an upper hand in the near future. Not a lot is known about Xiaomi MS11. It has been spotted with Wilwood braking hardware finished in Yellow and that’s it. We should soon witness a showcase of a prototype by Xiaomi and a full launch may happen in 2024. It will have a fat brochure and on paper, will be neck-n-neck with stalwarts.
