Swedish electric vehicle maker Polestar has formed a joint venture with Xingji Meizu, a mobile phone and consumer electronics company, to build an operating system for Polestar cars sold in China.
In the rest of the world, Polestar has integrated Google’s Android Automotive OS into vehicles to power its infotainment systems. Google has very little market share in China, though, in large part because the government has restricted its use. The tie-up with Xingji Meizu shows how important China — the leader in EV sales — is to Polestar.
Xingji Meizu’s founder is Eric (Shufu) Li, the founder and chairman of Chinese auto giant Geely. The company has attempted over the last decade to become a Chinese rival to Android. Xingji Meizu’s Flyme Auto OS will be integrated into several EVs, including Geely’s Lynk & Co 08.
“China is one of the fastest growing EV markets in the world. It’s …
