Phonemaker Xiaomi’s MS11 EV Leaked, Looks Like a McLaren Sedan

The electronics company’s first foray into cars, an electric sedan set to launch in 2024, is pretty enticing.

for Andres Gutman

January 28, 2023 at 1:44 p.m.

for Andres Gutman

Chinese tech company Xiaomi, best known for its phones and other consumer electronics, is making a car, and ahead of its projected official launch in 2024, the electric sedan has been featured in its home market on various websites and media channels. social networks, even on Weibo where we found these images.

Xiaomi first formed its vehicle development division in 2021, bought self-driving technology company Deepmotion Tech, and built an electric vehicle manufacturing plant soon after. They had their first engineering prototype ready as of last summer, and now, the production version of that vehicle, called the MS11, has leaked.

Read more: Xiaomi aims to sell 10 million electric cars annually

In general, the design of the sedan is quite attractive. Its coupe-like sportback silhouette is to be expected, as it’s an EV that needs to be aerodynamic, and even if it wasn’t electric, there aren’t many sedans left on the market that haven’t adopted the popular body style. . Adding to the sportiness are vents behind the front and rear fenders, as well as a bright yellow Brembo brake set.

Granted, one of the reasons it could look so good is because it seems to borrow some elements from proven sports car designs. Up front, we can’t help but feel that the headlights and overall bumper shape are very McLaren-esque, and the stepped rear end with its full-width taillight bar is quite reminiscent of the Aston Martin DBS. Even the wheels appear to be somewhat similar to those of a Lamborghini Huracan Evo, although that might be a bit of an exaggeration.

See also: Xiaomi says it is testing 140 autonomous cars in China

That said, these design elements aren’t exact copies of what we think they look like, and the car uses them quite well, so we’ll pass it on. Elsewhere, the roof-mounted Lidar sensor and flush door handles hint at this car’s tech-heavy philosophy, which is expected to have a heavy focus on autonomous driving.

Range and power specifications have yet to be announced, but a report from Car News China indicates that the car will use batteries supplied by CATL and BYD, while the electric motors will be made in-house by Xiaomi. Once the MS11 is officially launched, it will likely compete with cars like Sony and Honda’s Afeela sedan, another electric vehicle developed in part by a tech company.