China’s electric car factory has become a hot spot for tourists

Xiaomi released its first EV model, the SU7, in early 2024. By the end of the year, foreigners, investors and other Chinese companies had already arrived at the company’s factory in Beijing and began taking part in one-off tours, but the company will not be open until its launch in 2025.

However, the excursions were incredibly popular and Xiaomi quickly began scheduling so many slots. In July, the company said it would offer one tour and six tours per week, allowing it to accommodate more than 1,100 visitors in total. However, according to the Xiaomi app, when the July registration was opened, there is a slight chance that tickets will be hooked as more than 27,000 applications flooded overnight.

Those lucky enough to secure a spot can expect to be taken to the exhibition hall first to learn about the notable innovations of Xiaomi electric vehicles. Visitors then jump on the shuttle and enter three of the six total work lines to observe the workers and robots in the work.

They can then ride the model Xiaomi SU7 at the racetrack. Here we show a trained race car driver how the car can accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in just a few seconds. “It felt great. It kicks right away and gets rid of it really quickly,” Zhao tells Wired. Recently, Xiaomi has begun selling affordable meals in factories and souvenirs to complete the experience.

Another visitor points out that if the robot gets in the way, the shuttle will be temporarily stopped. Robots are programmed to work on a strictly timed schedule, making them less flexible than human workers. Yuanyuan recalls that after the tour ended, her daughter said:

The Xiaomi factory is a prime example of how Chinese companies are rapidly evolving from labor-intensive manufacturing to highly automated manufacturing thanks to new advances in robotics and artificial intelligence. In recent years, the Chinese government has significantly promoted the idea of ​​a “light-out factory” that does not require human labor. This means that the machine can struggle in the dark without anyone having to turn on the light. Therefore, companies that have achieved this high level of automation are foxconn In Home Appliance Giantstransforming factories into marketing opportunities, invited people to marvel at technology rather than working.

Another major EV manufacturer in China, NIO has been publishing one of its highly automated factories since late 2023. In 2024, over 130,000 people visited the factory. There, certain production lines, like the Body Shop, achieved 100% automation, according to a statement sent by the company. Zhang says that when her latest tour group visited Nio’s factory in Hefei city last month, participants were able to see three of the four production lines. (However, the car painting process was excluded from public visits.)