Xiaomi Looks Beyond Electric Cars: A Patent Reveals Plans for an Amphibious Vehicle

Xiaomi continues to expand its horizons in the automotive sector. After cementing its presence in the electric car market (recently the the new SkyNomad range), the Chinese company has obtained approval for a new patent.

However this is a decidedly unusual project: an amphibious vehicle propulsion system, designed to improve water navigation by reducing noise and efficiency losses.

For the moment there are no announcements about a future mass-produced model, but the document confirms Lei Jun’s company’s interest in new mobility solutions (beyond the automotive landscape).

The new Xiaomi patent aims for quieter and more efficient navigation

The patent was approved on July 10 by the Chinese intellectual property office and concerns an underwater propulsion system integrated into a vehicle. At the core of the solution developed by Xiaomi is a circular-flow duct composed of an outer shell and an inner structure that progressively narrows toward the water exit.

According to the documentation, this configuration makes the flow more uniform, reducing pressure variations and improving the thrust generated by the system.

Less cavitation, more efficiency

One of the main goals of the project is to limit the phenomenon of cavitation, responsible for noise, vibrations and wear of propellers in traditional aquatic propulsion systems.

Thanks to the new design, Xiaomi aims to reduce turbulence, increasing energy efficiency and extending the life of components. The result would be quieter navigation, better thrust and less maintenance.

The patent also describes how the propulsion system could be installed on the vehicle.

The solution indeed provides for a mounting under the chassis, with dedicated protective panels. This means the system is not designed as an external accessory, but as an integral part of a vehicle for amphibious movements, enabling the transition from road driving to water navigation.

No amphibious car on the horizon, but Xiaomi looks to the future

At present Xiaomi has not announced the development of an amphibious vehicle intended for production, nor are there indications of its existence.

The patent approval shows that the company is exploring new technologies to broaden its presence in the mobility sector, but this does not mean that what has been seen so far will become reality.

If the project were to evolve into a commercial product, it could pave the way for a new category of vehicles capable of moving both on roads and on water. However, for now it reads more like a curious experiment.