Baidu’s first EV model developed with Geely expected to be launched no later than 2024

Shanghai (Gasgoo)- The first vehicle jointly developed by Baidu and Geely is expected to be rolled out no later than the year of 2024, Robin Li, chairman and CEO of Baidu, told a media outlet earlier this week.

Photo credit: Baidu

He said the yet-to-be-launched model will integrate Baidu's most advanced autonomous driving technologies and AI capabilities, and he is confident that it will become one of the most attractive intelligent cars.  

According to Robin Li, the commercialization of Apollo, Baidu's open autonomous driving platform, has already kicked off with certain operation scale currently formed . The tech giant will continue to invest heavily in autonomous driving technologies over the next one to two decades. Up until now, Baidu has formed tie-ups with around 10 automakers to offer them technical products like Xiaodu in-car OS and AVP (automated valet parking) system. 

Baidu announced in early Jan. that it would set up a company with Geely that will leverage its intelligent driving capabilities and Geely's expertise in automobile design and manufacturing to make intelligent electric vehicles. The joint venture, dubbed JIDU Auto, was formally registered on March 2.

Robin Li revealed at Baidu's Q4 earnings conference call that the company would try to launch a new EV model in three years.

Autonomous driving is among the eight crucial technologies to AI area over the next ten years, Robin Li said in a letter to shareholders. In the autonomous driving domain, Apollo has become the most advanced open autonomous driving platform in China with the most road testing mileages and license plates. Baidu's intelligent automotive solutions have been adopted by 10 domestic and global automakers. In addition, its autonomous cars have so far offered a total of 210,000 rides.