Why Xiaomi is Succeeding in Making EVs Yet Apple Failed

Project Titan was a secretive initiative launched under Apple CEO Tim Cook to develop a fully autonomous electric vehicle with luxury features, advanced artificial intelligence, and possibly no steering wheel. 

Apple hired hundreds of engineers from Ford, Tesla, and other carmakers to work on the development of its first electric car but the project was marred by challenges such as technical struggles, leadership changes, concerns about cost and profitability, and failed partnerships with established automakers. 

The result was a decade of work with little to no results, $10 billion lost, and a costly failure on Apple’s record. 

Xiaomi, on the other hand, took a different approach when it decided to add electric vehicles to its product line. The Chinese tech giant announced that it would develop an electric car in December 2023 and began delivering the Xiaomi SU7 in March 2024, an incredibly fast turnaround for the auto industry. 

Early reviews for the EV were positive, and even Ford CEO Jim Farley was reluctant to part with his SU7 sedan after half a year of testing. With 100,000 pre-orders booked in just 48 hours and over 300,000 units delivered since Xiaomi first announced the SU7, it is clear that the tech company has developed an electric car that is popular with both drivers and reviewers on its very first try. 

A New York Times report notes that Project Titan’s failure and Xiaomi’s ability to succeed is a testament to China’s dominance of the global electric vehicle industry supply chain. Rather than manufacturing the SU7 fully in-house, as Apple planned to do with its fully autonomous EV, Xiaomi tapped state-owned automaker BAIC to handle the manufacturing while it focused on design, software, and technology. 

By partnering with an automaker with extensive industry and government connections, Xiaomi avoided starting from scratch and took advantage of China’s mastery and dominance over electric vehicle development, allowing it to build the SU7 and bring it to market at an incredibly accelerated pace. 

Xiaomi had a clear design vision for its electric car from the start and stuck to its strengths; design and software, leaving the heavy lifting to the country’s highly accomplished EV production pipeline. 

Integrating HyperOS, which is used in Xiaomi’s mobile phones and Internet of Things (IoT) devices, into the SU7 made the EV feel like part of its wider ecosystem and allowed seamless integration for drivers who use Xiaomi devices. Its rapid EV success shows how leveraging existing strengths and industry partnerships can achieve what even the world’s largest tech company could not. 

Could Western electric vehicle makers like Bollinger Innovations, Inc. (NASDAQ: BINI) borrow some lessons from Xiaomi’s success? Each situation is different, so we wait and see. 

About GreenCarStocks

GreenCarStocks (“GCS”) is a specialized communications platform with a focus on electric vehicles (“EVs”) and the green energy sector. It is one of 70+ brands within the Dynamic Brand Portfolio @ IBN that delivers: (1) access to a vast network of wire solutions via InvestorWire to efficiently and effectively reach a myriad of target markets, demographics and diverse industries; (2) article and editorial syndication to 5,000+ outlets; (3) enhanced press release enhancement to ensure maximum impact; (4) social media distribution via IBN to millions of social media followers; and (5) a full array of tailored corporate communications solutions. With broad reach and a seasoned team of contributing journalists and writers, GCS is uniquely positioned to best serve private and public companies that want to reach a wide audience of investors, influencers, consumers, journalists and the general public. By cutting through the overload of information in today’s market, GCS brings its clients unparalleled recognition and brand awareness. GCS is where breaking news, insightful content and actionable information converge.

To receive SMS alerts from GreenCarStocks, text “Green” to 888-902-4192 (U.S. Mobile Phones Only)

For more information, please visit https://www.GreenCarStocks.com

Please see full terms of use and disclaimers on the GreenCarStocks website applicable to all content provided by GCS, wherever published or re-published: https://www.GreenCarStocks.com/Disclaimer

GreenCarStocks
Los Angeles, CA
www.GreenCarStocks.com
310.299.1717 Office
Editor@GreenCarStocks.com

GreenCarStocks is powered by IBN