Xiaomi has finally entered the electric vehicle (EV) market. The Chinese electronics and technology behemoth known for its phones unveiled its first electric vehicle on Thursday (27th December) at the inaugural Stride launch event in Beijing. Announcing the launch of a sedan dubbed SU7, Xiaomi stated its intention to become one of the world’s top five automakers at the event.
SU in the car’s model name SU7 stands for Speed Ultra, with the company saying that it has a “super electric motor” technology capable of beating Tesla Model S and Porsche’s EV Taycan in acceleration and speed.
Lei Jun, founder and CEO of Xiaomi, said at the event, “By working hard over the next 15 to 20 years, we will become one of the world’s top 5 automakers, striving to lift China’s overall automobile industry.” He went on to say that the upcoming SU7 is “a dream car on par with Porsche and Tesla.”
#XiaomiSU7 goes from 0-100km/h in 2.78 seconds, officially joining the '2s Supercar Club' with a single step.#XiaomiEVTechnologyLaunch pic.twitter.com/NUk9MvwNRX
— Xiaomi (@Xiaomi) December 28, 2023
According to the reports, Beijing Automotive Industry Holding Co. Ltd (BAIC) will manufacture the SU7 EV on behalf of Xiaomi in China. The compact electric sedan will be sold under the company’s popular cell phone brand Mi in three variants: SU7, SU7 Pro, and SU7 Max. The SU7 is available in three colour options: Aqua Blue, Mineral Grey, and Verdant Green.
Lei stated at the launch event in Beijing that Xiaomi cars’ autonomous driving capabilities would be at the leading edge of the industry. Consequently, the SU7 is outfitted with Lidar-based autonomous driving functionalities such as adaptive cruise control and self-parking. The car is powered by the HyperOS operating system from the brand.
The SU7 is integrated with Xiaomi’s smartphones and internet-connected home appliances, Lei said. He added that the vehicle will also be compatible with Apple’s iPhone, iPad, CarPlay and AirPlay. Notably, Apple is rumoured to be developing an electric car, but nothing has emerged so far yet.
Someone asked me who Xiaomi EV is for. I'd say it's for people who are into cutting-edge technology, have a passion for life, and have high expectations for good design and experience. #XiaomiSU7 pic.twitter.com/5ILLj9v5MM
— Lei Jun (@leijun) December 28, 2023
In terms of dimensions, the midsize premium electric sedan has a length, width, and height of 4,997 mm, 1,963 mm, 1,440/1,455 mm, and a wheelbase of 3,000 mm, respectively. Depending on the specification, it weighs between 1,980 and 2,205kg.
In terms of powertrain, Xiaomi will offer the SU7 with two battery pack options: a 73.6kWh BYD lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery in entry-level trims with a range of 668 km, and a larger 101kWh CATL CTB (Cell to Body) battery pack with an estimated range of up to 800 km on a single charge. By comparison, Tesla’s Model S has a range of up to 650 km. At a later date, Xiaomi will also release a new V8 variant of the SU7 with a larger 150kWh battery pack.
The electric sedan will be available with a single or dual-motor powertrain. The former is powered by a rear-wheel drive motor with a peak output of 220kW (295 hp) and a top speed of 210 kmph. The top-spec trim gets a dual-motor setup with a paired output of 495kW (664 hp). This model has a top speed of 265 kmph.
The SU7, according to Xiaomi, is one of the fastest EVs on the market, with the motor spinning at up to 21,000 rpm. The price of the SU7 has yet to be announced by the company, but it is expected to do so soon.
The price of the vehicle has not been announced yet, but Lei said that it will be on a higher end. The car is expected to be available for sale in the next year. The car will be initially launched in China, and will be then available in other countries. However, it is not expected to be available in India soon.
