Xiaomi's Reported 'Sky Nomad' Sub-Brand Splits Battery Bets

Xiaomi is reportedly setting up a second car brand aimed at the extended-range EV market. According to CarNewsChina, the company will launch a sub-brand called Sky Nomad, also written Skynomad or 寻天, separate from the existing Xiaomi EV badge. CnEVPost corroborates the same outline. Xiaomi has not confirmed the plan through its Xiaomi EV homepage or other official channels at the time of writing, so treat the brand name, supplier list, and timing as reporting that still needs a formal statement.

What the report actually says

Both outlets frame Sky Nomad as a distinct marque from Xiaomi EV, with extended-range positioning at the center of the strategy. The first model is described as an SUV carrying the codename Kunlun N3, reportedly due in the second half of 2026. The expected price is around 200,000 yuan, roughly 29,500 US dollars. Sunwoda and CALB are named as the key battery cell suppliers, with the split specifically reported as 60% Sunwoda and 40% CALB. There is no on-record statement from Xiaomi's investor relations team in either write-up.

That is a fuller picture than a bare brand name and two supplier logos, but it remains reportage until Xiaomi registers a trademark publicly or puts a car in front of MIIT. Pack-level details, including how cells would be allocated by trim or chemistry, are not specified in the coverage and should be treated as open questions.

The useful signal in the report is the supplier list itself. If accurate, Xiaomi is naming two cell vendors for one upcoming EREV SUV program, rather than concentrating volume with a single name. The reported 60/40 split would also suggest deliberate volume allocation across both suppliers from the start, with the procurement leverage and the engineering overhead that brings.

AutonomyEV's opinion

The Sky Nomad name is unconfirmed and could be a working title that never reaches the showroom. Take the brand framing with caution until Xiaomi makes a public move. The supplier story is the part worth tracking. A dual-source cell strategy on a new EREV SUV program would imply Xiaomi expects volume large enough to justify qualifying two vendors in parallel.

Our read on Sunwoda and CALB, offered as analysis rather than fact: both are scaling Chinese cell makers that have been competing on price against the larger incumbents, and either would give Xiaomi a credible second source if pack integration is handled carefully. We are not citing volume or capacity figures here because we do not have a primary source in hand for this story, and we would rather say less than overclaim.

The risk in any dual-vendor pack program is quality dispersion. Different cells from different lines need consistent BMS calibration, thermal design, and warranty assumptions across the fleet. Xiaomi's exposure on a higher-volume EREV SUV line will depend on how tightly it controls that work. The brand launch is the easy part. The cell-to-pack engineering, if Sky Nomad ships, is where the program will be judged.