Xiaomi powers EV growth through smart manufacturing
INSIDE a workshop at Chinese tech giant Xiaomi’s electric vehicle (EV) factory, the scene is a stark contrast to what one might expect to see on a factory floor.
With few workers in sight, robotic arms move with precision and speed, seamlessly assembling vehicle body components. Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMRs) glide across the floor, efficiently transporting materials to their designated stations.
Xiaomi entered the EV market in 2021, setting up a state-of the-art factory spanning some 720,000 square metres in the Beijing Economic-Technological Development Area, also known as Beijing E-Town — a key innovation hub for China’s autonomous driving industry. The market newcomer unveiled its SU7 model in March 2024.
Every 76 seconds, a new Xiaomi vehicle rolls off the production line at the factory, with over 700 robots operating around the clock to enable the full automation of key processes such as large-scale die casting.
The factory embodies Xiaomi’s vision for smart manufacturing, in which intelligent machines take the lead and automation fuels both quality and efficiency. To Lei Jun, founder and chairman of Xiaomi, the importance of sustained investment in innovation is self-evident.
“Upholding our unwavering principle of ‘technology as the foundation,’ Xiaomi has invested over 100 billion yuan (about US$13.93 billion) in R&D over the past five years, making significant strides in many core capabilities.
In the next five years, we plan to invest another 200 billion yuan to pursue new heights in global next-generation hard tech,” Lei said. — Xinhua
Source: The Global New Light of Myanmar