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After over six months of virtually zero mention of the status of its Xiaomi Automobile brand, the CEO of Xiaomi Corporation has shared a progress update that “exceeds expectations.” Despite previous licensing issues in China, Xiaomi Automobile now appears on track for EV production next year, and there are some images circulating around the internet that might hint to the smartphone giant’s first EV design.

Xiaomi Corp. is better known as a Chinese electronics company based on an Internet of Things (IoT) platform – currently specializing in the manufacturing of smartphones, mobile apps, laptops, and home appliances.

In March of 2021, however, we reported that Xiaomi had shared definitive plans to manufacture its own brand of EVs aimed at the mass market in China. By September, the corporation had officially registered Xiaomi Automotive as an EV company, but was still searching for an experienced partner in EV manufacturing to help it transition from building smartphones to building entire cars.

By late 2021, Xiaomi Automotive signed a contract to establish its entire automotive business in the suburb of Yizhuang in Beijing. The footprint would include its headquarters, R&D, and EV manufacturing constructed in two phases.

Xiaomi co-founder Lei Jun vowed to invest roughly $10 billion over the decade to ensure Xiaomi Automotive could deliver EVs beginning in 2024. Little progress had been shown up to that point, and last we spoke of Xiaomi Automotive, it was in talks with BAIC Group’s EV automotive brand, BAIC BluePark New Energy Technology Co. to potentially build co-branded EVs together.

Now, nine months later, Xiaomi CEO Lei Jun has once again spoke to the EV business, but with no mention of any co-branding. Instead, the company has made huge strides in development and still looks to deliver upon Lei Jun’s original timeline of 2024 deliveries.

Xiaomi EV
Xiaomi cofounder and CEO Lei Jun / Credit: Xiaomi Corp.

Xiaomi EVs set to arrive in 1H 2024 with top-tier self-driving

According to a recent report by CnEVPost, CEO Lei Jun gave a status update to Xiaomi EV development during a March 5 meeting in China, relaying that the project is progressing beyond expectations. EV prototypes have recently completed winter testing and production is expected to commence in the first half of 2024.

Xiaomi Automotive’s R&D team now consists of over 2,300 people and Lei said he spends half his time as the corporation’s CEO focused specifically on the EV business. Last summer, Lei said Xiaomi was testing its own self-driving EV technology and that it aimed to be top-tier in the industry by 2024.

The nascent automaker has since revealed that its first EV model will be a sedan equipped with LiDAR supplied by Hesai Technology out of Palo Alto, California. The report points out that spy images of a potential Xiaomi EV are beginning to circulate on Chinese social media platform Weibo, showing a streamlined, albeit camouflaged, exterior.

Xiaomi’s flagship EV sedan is expected to start at a price around 300,000 yuan (~$43,100). With a start of production about a year away, we can probably expect an official unveiling from Xiaomi Automotive in the next six months. Stay tuned.

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Tesla’s retro-futuristic diner and Supercharger is here and it looks sick

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Tesla's retro-futuristic diner and Supercharger is here and it looks sick

Tesla’s retro-futuristic diner with Superchargers and giant movie screens is ready to open, and I have to admit, it looks pretty sick.

This project has been in the works for a long time.

In 2018, Elon Musk said that Tesla planned to open an “old school drive-in, roller skates & rock restaurant at one of the new Tesla Supercharger locations in Los Angeles.” It was yet another “Is he joking?” kind of Elon Musk idea, but he wasn’t kidding.

A few months later, Tesla applied for building permits for “a restaurant and Supercharger station” at a location in Santa Monica. However, the project stalled for a long time, apparently due to local regulations.

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Nevertheless, Tesla still moved forward with a Supercharger at the location, but it had to move the diner project to Hollywood. In 2022, Tesla filed the construction plans with the city, giving us the first look at what the automaker intends to build.

In 2023, the automaker broke ground on the site of the diner.

7 years after being originally announced, the project appears now ready to open:

Musk said that he ate at the diner last night and claimed that it is “one of the coolest spots in LA.” He didn’t say when it will open, but Tesla vehicles have been spotted at Supercharger and people appear to be testing the dinning experience inside.

A Tesla Optimus Robot can be seen inside the diner on a test rack. It looks like Tesla might use one for some tasks inside the diner.

Earlier this year, Tesla integrated the diner into its mobile app – hinting at some interaction through the app – possibly ordering from it.

Electrek’s Take

I think it looks pretty cool. I am a fan of the design and concept.

However, considering the state of the Tesla community, I don’t think I’d like the vibes. That said, it looks like Tesla isn’t prominently pushing its branding on the diner.

You can come and charge there, but it looks like Tesla is also aiming to get a wider clientele just for dining.

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Westinghouse plans to build 10 large nuclear reactors in U.S., interim CEO tells Trump

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Westinghouse plans to build 10 large nuclear reactors in U.S., interim CEO tells Trump

Plant Vogtle Nuclear Power Plant in Waynesboro, GA, August 15, 2024.

Van Applegate | CNBC

Westinghouse plans to build 10 large nuclear reactors in the U.S. with construction to begin by 2030, interim CEO Dan Sumner told President Donald Trump at a roundtable in Pittsburgh on Tuesday.

Westinghouse’s big AP1000 reactor generates enough electricity to power more than 750,000 homes, according to the company. Building 10 of these reactors would drive $75 billion of economic value across the U.S. and $6 billion in Pennsylvania, Sumner said.

The Westinghouse executive laid out the plan to Trump during a conference on energy and artificial intelligence at Carnegie Mellon University. Technology, energy and financial executives announced more than $90 billion of investment in data centers and power infrastructure at the conference, according to the office of Sen. Dave McCormick, who organized the event.

Trump issued four executive orders in May that aim to quadruple nuclear power in the U.S. by 2050. The president called for the U.S. to have 10 nuclear plants under construction by 2050. He ordered a “wholesale revision” of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s rules and guidelines.

The U.S. has built only two new nuclear reactors over the past 30 years, both of which were Westinghouse AP1000s at Plant Vogtle in Waynesboro, Georgia. The project notoriously came in $18 billion over budget and seven years behind schedule, contributing to the bankruptcy of Westinghouse.

The industry stalwart emerged from bankruptcy in 2018 and us now owned by Canadian uranium miner Cameco and Brookfield Asset Management.

Westinghouse announced a partnership with Google on Tuesday to use AI tools to make the construction of AP1000s an “efficient, repeatable process,” according to the company.

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Hyundai’s electric minivan sheds its camo: Check out the new Staria EV

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Hyundai's electric minivan sheds its camo: Check out the new Staria EV

Hyundai’s electric minivan is finally out in the open. The Staria EV was caught without camo near Hyundai’s R&D center in Korea, giving us a closer look at the electric minivan undisguised.

Hyundai’s electric minivan drops camo ahead of debut

The Staria arrived in 2021 as the successor to the Starex, Hyundai’s multi-purpose vehicle (MPV). Although the Staria has received several updates throughout the years, 2026 will be its biggest by far.

Hyundai will launch the Staria EV, its first electric minivan. Like the current model, the 2026 Staria will be available in several different configurations, including cargo, passenger, and even a camper version.

We’ve seen the Staria EV out in public a few times already. Last month, we got a glimpse of it while driving on public roads in Korea.

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Despite the camouflage, new EV-like design elements were visible, including updated LED headlights and a full-length light bar. Although it’s still unclear, the electric version appears to be roughly the same size as the current Staria from the side, but slightly wider from the front.

New images posted on the South Korean forum Clien reveal a test car, expected to be Hyundai’s Staria electric minivan, without camo.

Like most Hyundai test cars, the prototype has a black front and a grey body. It still features a similar look to other prototypes we’ve seen, but you can clearly see the new facelift.

Earlier this year, a Staria EV was spotted in a parking lot in Korea, featuring a similar look. The electric version is nearly identical to the Staria Lounge, but with an added charge port and closed-off grille.

The Hyundai Staria EV is expected to make its global debut later this year. Technical details have yet to be revealed, but it’s expected to feature either a 76 kWh or 84 kWh battery, providing a range of around 350 km (217 miles) to 400 km (249 miles).

Hyundai's-first-electric-minivan
Hyundai Staria Lounge (Source: Hyundai)

Hyundai’s electric SUV arrives after Kia introduced its first electric van, the PV5, which launched in Europe and Korea earlier this year.

In Europe, the Kia Passenger PV5 model is available with two battery pack options: 51.5 kWh and 71.2 kWh, providing WLTP ranges of 179 miles and 249 miles, respectively. The Cargo version has a WLTP range of 181 miles or 247 miles.

Source: TheKoreanCarBlog, Clien

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