Polestar Partners with Xingji Meizu for Chinese EV OS

Urian B., Tech Times 19 June 2023, 09:06 pm

One thing that not many people know about EVs is aside from the fact that they're charged differently and use electricity as opposed to gas, they also come with smart abilities, which can be improved with the help of the right operating system. This is what the partnership between Polestar ad Xingji Meizu is trying to accomplish.

Polestar is Partnering with Xingji Meizu to Create a Special OS for Its Own Chinese EVs

Now, Tesla has its own operating system and this has long helped the company release its own updates and improve the software of the car remotely. There have been certain problems with the EV that the company has fixed through a simple software update.

According to the story by Tech Crunch, Polestar cars that were sold in China previously lacked its own dedicated operating system. Previously, they used Android Automotive OS for all their vehicles since they didn't have one for themselves.

The company is now working with Xingji Meizu to create a special OS for its own Chinese EVs. This comes as the company has to reduce its use of Google because of the Chinese government's restrictions.

China's Importance in the EV Market

Google reportedly has a very small marketshare in China due to the restrictions, although Polestar integrated its Android Automitve OS to power its vehicles infotainment systems. Now, the company is partnering with Xingji Meizu to create its own operating system.

The report by Tech Crunch details that this shows exactly how important China is for Polestar, due to it being the leader in EV sales. Xingji Meizu also has a lot of experience in the EV and automobile space, especially due to its founder.

Eric (Shufu) Li, the founder of Xingji Meizu, also serves as the founder and chairman of Geely, a Chinese auto giant. It was noted that over the last decade, the company has been trying to become the Chinese rival of Android.

Xingji Meizu Created the Flyme Auto OS, Which Already Powers Several EVs

Xingji Meizu previously created the Flyme Auto OS, which can already be used by several EVs. This includes the Lynk & Co 08 EVs. Polestar CEO Thomas Ingenlath gave a statement regarding China's importance in the EV market.

Ingenlath also commented on how China's market had very specific consumer trends, which improved the integration between vehicles and consumer electronics devices. The CEO noted that through their partnership with Xingji Meizu, a company it described as having strong complementary competence, they will be able to offer what both drivers and passengers expect.

Polestar, Volvo, and the Majority of Meizu are Owned by Geely

Polestar, which is reportedly also owned by Geely, expects to be transferring around 130 commercial staff in China toward its new company. The new company would be the sole entity responsible for handling Polestar's sales and service in China.

An article by Electrek, also noted how Geely, the parent company of Polestar and Volvo, bought out a majority stake in Meizu. Now, Geely reportedly owns 79.9% of Meizu as it looks to expand its digital platform offerings.