China’s premium EV segment set for ‘cutthroat competition’ as Huawei, Baidu and Xiaomi join the fray
- ‘Intelligent’ features such as autonomous driving technology and voice-activated controls are what sell cars in China now, executive at Shanghai car dealer says
- Young drivers are ‘eagerly awaiting Xiaomi’s EV’: analyst
In China, the world’s largest EV market, where “intelligent” battery-powered vehicles are a must-have, Huawei Technologies, Baidu and Xiaomi are challenging established players and heightening concerns about overcapacity and a price war.
“Intelligent features such as autonomous driving technology and voice-activated controls are what sell cars [in China] now,” said Zhao Zhen, a sales director with Shanghai-based dealer Wan Zhuo Auto. “It is not like a decade ago, when horsepower and exterior design attracted Chinese motorists.”
The intelligent features in demand also include facial recognition, over-the-air software upgrades, phone-linked features and self parking.
Aito, a car brand developed by telecoms equipment giant Huawei, said on Wednesday that it had received 90,000 orders for its M7 sport-utility vehicle (SUV) just two months after the EV hit the market. Models with monthly deliveries of 10,000 units or more are viewed as blockbuster products in China’s automotive sector.