Tesla should beware: robotaxis (with battery swaps) already exist in China

The Yichi 06 electric MPV goes into production for under £23,000. The batteries can be replaced in 3 minutes.

Photo by: Baidu

By: Alberto Carmone

Oct 19, 2024 at 3:41am ET

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After a long wait, Tesla has unveiled the Cybercab, a robotaxi that will go on sale by 2027 at a price of less than £23,000. In the meantime, there is already a direct competitor in China: the Yichi 06, manufactured by JMC. This self-driving electric vehicle was developed by Baidu, the Chinese Internet search giant (a sort of Google for the Land of the Dragon), and is ready to be marketed for the equivalent of £22,000.

The trump card up its sleeve is battery swapping

As well as being a major research platform, Baidu has a number of parallel projects. One of them is the Apollo autonomous car technology platform. For the moment, the taxi service only operates in 10 Chinese cities, but the idea is to expand beyond national borders in the near future.

Baidu Yichi 06, the Chinese robotaxi

Baidu

The Yichi 06 is an electric MPV created jointly by JMC and Apollo. Measuring 4.77 metres long, 1.89 metres wide and 1.72 metres high, it features minimalist styling, sliding rear doors, a single rear light strip and four seats. Powered by a single 147 PS front electric motor, it has an LFP battery that, once discharged, can be replaced in three minutes at special stations.

Level 4 autonomous driving

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The main feature of the Yichi 06 is the Apollo autonomous driving system, whose hardware includes 40 sensors (including five LiDAR units) and processors with a computing power of 1,200 TOPS. According to Baidu officials, it supports the Level 4 autonomous driving system, suitable for complex road scenarios. As a result, the Yichi 06 can be sold without a steering wheel inside.

Baidu Yichi 06, the Chinese robotaxi

Baidu

The car has been tested for more than 32 million km (20 million miles), with 7 million journeys already made by the end of July 2024 and 1,000 units ready for delivery to private customers. In short, the challenge to Tesla has already begun.