All posts by Francis Mitterrand

News

Xiaomi electric car is coming soon

The production of electric cars is expanding, so it is a magnet for all companies, even those that have never been closely related to the automotive industry. One of them is Xiaomi, which last year announced its intention to enter the automotive market with its first electric car.

Currently, Xiaomi produces 50 prototypes per week at its factory in Beijing. Mass production of the car will start once the company receives approval from the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT), which is expected by the end of the year. The current capacity of the factory where Xiaomi will manufacture cars is 150,000 vehicles per year, while the full capacity is 300,000 vehicles.

The technological giant is busy preparing for the start of production, and a certain number of people are already employed. The HR department is working full steam to hire 100 new workers in the production sector, and some sources claim that some of the applicants, who worked at Mercedes and Tesla, do not meet Xiaomi’s high criteria. Mass employment is expected at the end of this year or at the beginning of 2024.

Recently, photos of Xiaomi’s first car, the MS11, have surfaced, and the car is designed in the form of a sedan. Little is known about this car so far, but some information says that it could be equipped with a 101 kWh battery and have a range of 800 km. It will support 800V architecture for fast chargers up to 350 kW.

Source: Xiaomi

News

Gigafactory 3 produced 2 million Tesla cars

In 2019, Tesla built its first car factory in China, Gigafactory Shanghai (Gigafactory 3), with a capacity of 750,000 vehicles per year. It took only four years for the factory to produce the 2 millionth vehicle.

Gigafactory Shanghai is the largest in the world and the first Tesla factory to open outside the US. With a size of 860,000 m2, in addition to the production of vehicles, the factory is also used for the production of components and testing. This factory produces the Model 3 and Model Y. In July, the factory produced the millionth Model Y, whose production began in January 2021.

The factory has become an export center for the American electric car manufacturer. By the end of July, more than 215,000 Tesla vehicles were exported worldwide, while more than 325,000 cars were sold on the domestic market. Electric vehicles produced in GF3 are exported to Asia-Pacific, Europe and North America. Currently, the factory’s supply chain consists of 95% locally produced components, while 99.99% of employees are local residents.

Since last year, a series of upgrades have begun in preparation for the facelifted Model 3 that was unveiled on September 1st. The new Model 3 is expected to further boost Tesla’s sales in China. It was recently announced that the factory can produce one car in just 40 seconds.

Source: Tesla

EV

CF701 Concept

China’s oldest state-owned automobile manufacturer, Chang’an Automobile, has unveiled its new concept, the CF701. Designed as an SUV with a rear end reminiscent of a pickup truck.

This car is 5000mm long, 1970mm wide, 1630mm high, with a 3100mm wheelbase, enough to accommodate five passengers, and is built on a smart vehicle platform. A simple minimalist design, reminiscent of the Tesla Cybertruck, extends throughout the car. The front fascia with C-shaped LED daytime running lights, D-shaped LED lights located on the front bumper, rectangular arches and cameras replacing the side mirrors are just some of the design solutions. The SUV can be transformed into a pickup as the rear glass panel is pulled up and over the glass roof.

The interior of the concept is reminiscent of Tesla cars. A modern cabin with a centrally located infotainment screen, a simple dashboard, a head-up display and a steering wheel with a flat bottom are some of the equipment that comes with this electric car.

Source: Car News China

Gallery:

CF701 Concept