Oh, oh, well! We recently learned that Xiaomi received approval for EV production, and now we have our first look at the forthcoming MS11 - the tech giant's first EV. Xiaomi also earned a name for itself in the domain arena, claiming the domain name XiaomiEV.com. Add to that a gleaming new auto production licence from China's state planning department, and it appears Xiaomi has put its EV business into high gear.

The MS11 electric vehicle, Xiaomi's first creation, was spotted prancing around in heavy camouflage. What about the location? The urban motorway between Urumqi and Changji, where the sedan was allegedly doing high-temperature testing.

Xiaomi's electrified fantasies, on the other hand, did not begin yesterday. In early 2021, the corporation tossed its hat into the EV ring. While most of us were sceptical of another tech company moving into unfamiliar area (after all, haven't we seen a few flops? ), Xiaomi was quick to reassure. Lei Jun stated Xiaomi's electric chariot was racing ahead of schedule during an investor presentation (you know, where big claims are made). His assurance? Cars will be available in the first half of 2024.

Xiaomi is not only staying on schedule, but it appears to be ahead of schedule. Lu Weibing, the guy in charge of Xiaomi's worldwide business, beams with delight as he declares that the company's success has beyond expectations.

To add a dash of drama, Lei Jun decided to tease the world by sharing a photo of himself and his team doing what they do best: monitoring road tests in Xinjiang's vast deserts. As if it wasn't enough to spark a social media frenzy, spy photos of the MS11 began to circulate.

In June, information about the Xiaomi MS11 battery leaked. The long-range version of this electric beast has a 101 kWh ternary (NMC) battery. It has an 800 km range and is based on the 800V design. However, the energy density is 157 Wh/kg, which is, to be honest, rather ordinary. While everyone expected CATL to be the battery provider, Xiaomi pulled a fast one. They've collaborated with both CATL and CALB. Why, you might ask? Of course, cost-effectiveness!

In terms of price, the MS11 car will compete with the likes of the Tesla Model 3, BYD Seal, Deepal SL03, and several other Chinese EV sedans. This places it in the extremely competitive pricing category of RMB 200,000 (€25,500).