Chinese smartphone company Xiaomi hints at electric vehicles for India

Chinese tech company, Xiaomi, best known for its smartphones already builds electric scooters in China. India could soon be a key new market for its electric vehicles. This has been revealed through regulatory filings, where Xiaomi has indicated that it will build and sell electric vehicles in India.

Here is what a regulatory filing to India’s Registrar of Companies said,

“all types of vehicles for transport, conveyance and other transport equipment, whether based on electricity or any other motive or mechanical power, including the components, spare parts”

A Xiaomi India spokesperson has said that the new filing only reflects that the company may get into new areas in the coming times, and did not confirm any electric vehicle move. Here is the statement,

“We have expressed our interest to bring several of our nonsmartphone products to India multiple times, but only after ensuring that we have picked the right product and customised it to India’s needs.”

It is obvious that India will become a huge market for electric vehicles in future as the government here wants to electrify all vehicles that run on Indian roads by 2030. The government has even started sourcing electric cars for its departments, and has started setting up electric vehicle charging infrastructure.  Electric vehicles are expected to reduce air pollution levels that have hit alarming highs in many Indian cities. Also, they are expected to reduce the country’s dependence on crude oil imports.

Almost every major automaker – including commercial vehicle and two wheeler makers – in India has announced plans of getting onto the electric vehicle bandwagon. Many Chinese companies are also expected to join this group as China is already the world leader in electric vehicles.

However, there is one pressing concern that has not been addressed about electric vehicles so far. While electric vehicles do not emit any harmful exhaust gases, the electricity that they use may not be as clean. Only if India adopts clean means of electricity generation will electric vehicles be truly green.

Via ETAuto