Xiaomi has denied recent reports claiming that customers purchasing the Xiaomi EV could receive a free Beijing license plate. The report, which sparked widespread discussion on social media, was dismissed by Xiaomi as “completely untrue.”
“The pricing, delivery, and sales policy of the Xiaomi EV will be subject to the official release,” a Xiaomi Weibo account stated, refuting the claims.
The initial report suggested that customers who do not possess a Beijing license plate could potentially receive one for free with the purchase of one of the first Xiaomi EV vehicles. It cited an early employee close to Xiaomi founder, chairman, and CEO Lei Jun, who stated that there are approximately 2,000-3,000 Beijing license plates available for promotional purposes.
Beijing, known for its strict restrictions on car purchases, only allows qualified individuals to apply for local license plates. These restrictions include having a local residency (hukou) or having paid social security and personal taxes in the city for five consecutive years.
In contrast, several Chinese cities exempt purchases of battery electric vehicles (BEVs) from these rules. For instance, Shanghai provides free license plates for BEVs, while internal combustion engine vehicles require a fuel license plate obtained through an auction, which currently costs around RMB 92,000 yuan ($12,780).
The Xiaomi EV, with its first model, the SU7, unveiled on December 28, is set to enter mass production soon. Production is expected to reach around 2,000 units in March and over 10,000 units in July, according to reports.
