Xiaomi will begin mass production of its first electric vehicle model later this month,Japan Archives people familiar with the matter told 36Kr on Wednesday, the latest development in the Chinese smartphone giant’s entry into the fiercely competitive EV segment. The company is set to meet the start of production (SOP) requirements in late February, with a goal to achieve monthly output of 2,000 units in March and expand that number to more than 10,000 by July. The consumer tech firm, in late December, debuted the SU7 sedan, which boasts acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 2.8 seconds and a seamless connection between devices from smartphones to the car’s dashboard and various home appliances. The car is scheduled for launch during the first half of this year, while rival Huawei has been selling EVs in collaborations with carmakers including Changan, Seres, and Chery. [36Kr, in Chinese]
