BEIJING: Chinese technology giant Xiaomi has introduced a new smart electric vehicle series called “Xiaomi Sky Nomad”, marking another major step in the company’s expansion into the electric vehicle market.
The new electric SUVs are designed to offer more than battery-powered driving, featuring a range-extending system that can use an internal petrol engine as a generator to recharge the battery when needed.
Unlike Xiaomi’s earlier SU7 and YU7 models, which were primarily developed with the driver in mind, the new Sky Nomad series focuses on the experience of all passengers inside the vehicle.
The company says the SUV has been designed with a flexible interior layout, a spacious cabin and smart features that allow the space to adapt to different daily needs. The interior can be transformed according to various activities, including commuting, resting, working, family travel and outdoor trips.
The flagship N90 Max, a seven-seat SUV that Xiaomi describes as “a house you can move”, combines a 76-kilowatt-hour battery with a 1.5-liter turbocharged range extender and a 60-liter fuel tank.
Extended-range electric vehicles, or EREVs, are driven primarily by electric motors and use a gasoline engine as an onboard generator to recharge the battery or sustain electricity supply when needed.
“Six seats are not enough for families … If we compare a vehicle to a house, we can freely arrange our space and decorate,” Xiaomi CEO Lei Jun said at its launch event. Xiaomi said the N90 Max, priced at 299,900 yuan ($44,397), has a combined range of up to 1,705 km (1,059 miles).
The SkyNomad line is built on Xiaomi’s new Kunlun architecture, which the company says was developed specifically for larger SUVs with adaptable cabins. Xiaomi will take pre-orders starting from Thursday and bring the vehicles to market in September, Lei said.
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