Chinese device and EV maker Xiaomi (XIACF) this morning revealed its latest offering in the ultracompetitive Chinese auto market, doubling down on the success it’s already achieved with its SU7 EV sedan.
As first revealed on Xiaomi’s Weibo account, and subsequently on head of marketing Leo He’s X account, the YU7 is a crossover SUV EV that closely resembles the SU7 sedan, which itself looks like a cross between a McLaren supercar and Porsche Taycan EV.
According to a Xiaomi regulatory filing translated by Chinese EV outlet CNEVPOST, the pure EV YU7 has similar dimensions to the Tesla Model Y and will be powered by a lithium-ion battery supplied by CATL, just like the SU7. The YU7 will have a dual-motor setup, with the front and rear motors outputting a combined 508 kW (681 hp), with a top speed of 253 kph (157 mph).
Xiaomi, along with its automotive partner BAIC, will build its latest vehicle at its Shanghai factory, to officially launch in June or July next year.
While no price has been revealed, when Xiaomi unveiled its current SU7 the base model had a starting price of 215,900 yuan ($29,720). The YU7 may have a similar low cost, though it is bigger and has a dual-motor setup.
The SU7 EV sedan has been a smashing success for Xiaomi: The company claims that its EV sales have been surging, with October deliveries alone topping 20,000 units and monthly deliveries of more than 10,000 units every month in Q3.
The company said it would boost its production of the car to 130,000 units for 2024 after having already topped its production target of 100,000 last month.
The SU7, with its striking looks and tech-forward interior powered by a version of Android called HyperOS, has clearly been a hit with Chinese consumers who look to their cars as extensions of their digital devices. Xiaomi’s phones connect seamlessly to its vehicles and give users a unified experience across the products, a level Western automakers have not been able to achieve in China.
In assessing the China threat, Ford CEO Jim Farley and CFO John Lawler reportedly traveled to China to test-drive a Chinese-made EV, with Lawler reportedly claiming China had surpassed them.
Farley later admitted to driving an imported SU7 for the past six months in the US, claiming it is “fantastic.” Farley told the “Fully Charged” podcast that Ford “flew [an SU7] from Shanghai to Chicago, and I’ve been driving it for six months now, and I don’t want to give it up.”
The YU7’s tech and feature set will likely be very comparable to Farley’s SU7, ramping up concern among Western automakers.
