BAIDU Inc. plans to form a company to make smart electric vehicles (EV), two sources familiar with the matter said, with manufacturing to be carried out at plants owned by automaker Geely.

Baidu, the leading search engine firm in China, will take a majority stake and absolute voting power in the new firm.

The venture will revamp some of Geely’s existing car manufacturing facilities to make the vehicles, with in-car software input from Baidu and engineering know-how from Geely, sources said.

The companies are in talks to use Geely’s EV-focused platform, Sustainable Experience Architecture (SEA), for future product development, one of the sources said.

Reuters reported last month that Baidu was contemplating making its own EVs and had held talks with Geely, Guangzhou Automobile Group Co. (GAC) and China FAW Group Corp.’s Hongqi on a possible venture.

Baidu’s rival Alibaba has formed an EV joint venture with China’s biggest automaker SAIC Motor Corp. while China’s Didi Chuxing is making EVs designed for ride hailing services with BYD.

Cheered by Tesla Inc.’s success in commercialization of EVs, Internet giants have also developed auto-related technology or invested in smart-car startups. (SD-Agencies)