The plunge into the realm of electric cars by the smartphone giant continues. After unveiling its first car, the Xiaomi SU7, it seems that the Chinese company has filed a series of trademarks in both Chinese and English. These include “Xiaomi Automobile Gigafactory,” denoting its battery production factory, “Xiaomi Super Motor,” and an intriguing “Xiaomi EV Hyperfactory.”
Currently, the status of these trademarks is pending review at the China National Intellectual Property Administration Trademark Office.
Xiaomi’s Course of Action
This strategic move underscores a series of key developments that have been unfolding for the past five years. As early as July 2019, Xiaomi Communication Technology Co., Ltd. expanded its business scope to include the “sales of auto parts.” Subsequently, on November 12, 2020, Beijing Xiaomi Mobile Software Co., Ltd. applied for a patent for lithium battery electrodes and lithium batteries. On March 30, 2021, Xiaomi announced a 10-billion-yuan investment in automotive manufacturing over the next decade, with the aim of establishing itself among the top five automobile manufacturers globally.
Fast forward to 2023, with the launch of the SU7, featuring five key elements: an electric motor, battery, large die-casting, smart cockpit, and autonomous driving. At the core of this offering are the HyperEngine V6 and V8 motors, which, despite their name, have nothing to do with cylinders. They are, however, powerful electric motors, a result of Xiaomi’s inaugural automotive project, and the Hyperfactory is set to mass-produce them.
Furthermore, Xiaomi has developed a new 800V silicon carbide high-voltage platform, with a maximum voltage of 871V. In collaboration with CATL, the company is working on the development of an 800V high-voltage battery pack. In essence, barring any surprises, the tech giant aims to compete with its compatriot companies, particularly BYD, and even Tesla, just as it did in the smartphone market with Huawei and Apple.
