Three years ago, Chinese tech giant Xiaomi announced that it was getting into the electric vehicle (EV) business, following in the footsteps of US rival Apple, which spent the better part of a decade researching and developing its own EV.

Fast forward to 2024 and, while Apple has given up on its plans to build a self-driving car, Xiaomi is just days away from the launch of its SU7, a four-door sedan produced by the state-owned car manufacturer BAIC at a factory in Beijing.

Xiaomi is not alone. Rival Chinese smartphone maker Huawei is also developing technologies for the auto industry, from smart driving systems to cockpit systems and communications platforms. Huawei's Stelato brand of vehicles is also a partnership with BAIC.

Xiaomi's Speed Ultra 7 (SU7), which will be available in 29 Chinese cities from March 28, has a driving range of up to 800 kilometers (500 miles) and is equipped with Xiaomi software and electronic features.

It also has technology capable of delivering faster acceleration speeds than Tesla and Porsche's EVs. It can reportedly go from zero to 100 kilometers per hour (62 miles per hour) in 2.8 seconds.

The company says it has already booked 100,000 appointments to view the car, which is priced at between $35,200 (€32,200) and $55,000.

Shares in China's largest smartphone maker soared nearly 12% in Hong Kong in a day earlier this month on the news of the first deliveries, as part of what CEO and........

© Deutsche Welle