Tech giant Xiaomi finally introduced its first electric car model, SU7, yesterday, December 28. It is a crucial part of the company’s plans to advance as one of the top five automakers in the global market, Reuters reports.
“Xiaomi wants to become the top 5 car company in the world in the next 15-20 years.”
Xiaomi CEO and Founder Lei Jun
Background
Xiaomi initially shared its goals to penetrate the EV market on March 30, 2021. According to Car News China, CEO/Founder Lei Jun announced at that time that the company would spend 10 billion yuan (1.4 billion USD) to pursue the carmaking business.
Therefore, the Thursday conference transpired 1,003 days following the initial announcement.
What’s currently known about the model?
Xiaomi officially revealed that its first electric car will offer two variants, including the SU7 and SU7 Max. Notably, CEO Jun asserted that the “SU” name stands for “Speed Ultra.”
Technical specs
The base variant, Xiaomi SU7, offers a rear-wheel drive (RWD) configuration. It features the company’s internally developed V6 engine that generates a maximum output of 220 kW and 400 Nm torque.
It boasts an acceleration of 0 to 100 km/h in 5.28 seconds. In addition, it can enable a CLTC-rated driving range of 668 km owing to its 73.6 kWh battery pack.
On the other hand, the top-tier performance variant SU7 Max sports dual motors that generate a maximum output of 425 kW and 838 Nm torque. It has a faster acceleration of 0-100km/h acceleration in just 2.78 seconds. It can also accelerate from 0 to 200 km/h in 10.67 seconds, beating the Taycan Turbo’s 11.05 seconds.
Impressively, it has a 265 km/h top speed and a CLTC-rated range of 800 km from its 101 kWh Qilin NMC battery developed by CATL.
In addition, its battery can replenish 390 km in just 10 minutes, beating the Tesla Model S Plaid. It can also add 220 km in 5 minutes and 510 km in 15 minutes.
It also boasts a 0.195 Cd drag coefficient, the lowest among current production cars. Moreover, it also has a LiDAR at the top of the windshield to support Xiaomi Pilot ADAS. It also features 11 HD cameras and 12 ultrasonic radars to enable autonomous driving capabilities like highway driving, self-parking features, and car summoning.
Production and capacity
GizChina reported that China-owned automaker BAIC Group will produce Xiaomi-branded cars in an existing factory in Beijing with a 200,000-unit capacity per year.
Xiaomi has yet to reveal the final pricing of the new SU7 electric sedan, which will compete with the Porsche Taycan and the Tesla Model S in China.
“Stop trolling; the car won’t be priced at 140,000 yuan (19,800 USD); show some respect for the technology behind the car.”
CEO/Founder Lei Jun
However, local publications estimate the car to start below the 300,000 yuan ($42,500) price point. The tech giant did not also announce the delivery timeline. Nonetheless, CEO Jun noted that mass production will commence in the first half of 2024. As of now, the Xiaomi SU7 is in trial production.
You can watch the Xiaomi SU7’s unveiling below:
