In the Chinese market, one of the key rivals of Xiaomi SU7 EV will be Tesla Model 3
Xiaomi has officially entered the automotive space with the launch of its first EV, the SU7 all-electric sedan, in China. A total of 3 variants are on offer, with prices starting at 215,900 yuan (approximately Rs 24.92 lakh). The EV is available for sale across 29 cities in China. Deliveries will commence in late April.
Xiaomi SU7 EV – New beginnings
Venturing into the automotive space is a significant milestone in the evolution of Xiaomi as a business enterprise. Before this time, one would normally associate Xiaomi as a leading consumer electronics firm.
The launch event of SU7 EV was hosted by Xiaomi’s CEO, Lei Jun. Some of the top leaders of competing firms were also present. It included He Xiaopeng, Chairman of Xpeng; William Li, CEO of Nio; and Li Xiang, CEO of Li Auto.
Also present at the event was Chris Bangle, former BMW Group Chief of Design. He currently works as an auto design consultant for Xiaomi. Various other renowned executives are associated with the design and development of Xiaomi SU7 EV. It includes former BMW executive Li Tianyuan and former Mercedes-Benz executive James Qiu. With such brilliant minds at work, it is no surprise that the Xiaomi SU7 easily qualifies as one of the sportiest EVs in the market.
Xiaomi SU7 EV – Dimensions
At 4,997 mm long, 1,963 mm wide and 1,455 mm tall, Xiaomi SU7 EV has a dynamic road presence. It has a wheelbase of 3,000 mm. Frunk area has 105 litres of storage, whereas the boot offers 517 litres. In comparison, Tesla Model 3 is 4,720 long, 1,848 mm wide and 1,442 mm tall. It has a wheelbase of 2,875 mm. As is evident, Xiaomi SU7 EV is bigger than Tesla Model 3 across all dimensional aspects.
Xiaomi SU7 EV – Variants and Pricing
Users can choose from Standard, Pro and Max Performance versions of Xiaomi SU7 EV. The Standard model is equipped with a 73.6 kWh BYD’s LFP Blade battery. It has a 400V architecture (486V). Offered in RWD format, the single electric motor generates 295 hp of max power and 400 Nm of peak torque. Certified CLTC range is 700 km. The Standard variant can load 350 km in just 15 minutes. It gets Xiaomi’s Pilot Pro ADAS suite, which is based on Pure vision, like Tesla. Xiaomi SU7 EV Standard model is priced at 215,900 yuan (Rs 24.92 lakh).
Next is the Xiaomi SU7 Pro model, equipped with a 94.3 kWh CATL Shenxing battery (LFP). Much of the specs are the same as the Standard model. However, the range is higher at 830 km. It is priced at 245,900 yuan (approx. Rs 28.38 lakh).
The top-spec Xiaomi SU7 Max Performance variant utilizes a 101 kWh CATL Qilin (NMC) battery. With a dual-motor setup, the output is 663 hp and 838 Nm. CLTC range is 800 km. Top speed is rated at 265 km/H and 0 to 100 km/H can be achieved in just 2.78 seconds. This variant gets Xiaomi’s Pilot Max ADAS kit that includes Pure vision + lidar. Xiaomi SU7 Max Performance model is priced at 299,900 yuan (approx. Rs 34.61 lakh).
Massive 50k bookings in just 27 minutes
With a comprehensive range of features and undercutting Tesla Model 3 by around 4,100 USD, Xiaomi SU7 has received a phenomenal response. Within 4 minutes, bookings had touched 10,000 units. This number doubled to 20,000 units in the next three minutes. The bookings crossed 50,000 units within 27 minutes. Clearly, the Xiaomi SU7 EV is a bestseller right from start. In China, Xiaomi SU7 will take on various other rivals such as Seal WORLDBYD Han, Xpeng P7i, Deepal SL03 and Nio ET5.
