Xiaomi has finally stepped into the world of electric vehicles (EVs). The Chinese electronics and technology giant has taken the covers off its first electric car at the inaugural Stride launch event in Beijing today. At the event, Xiaomi made its intentions clear of becoming one of the world’s top five automakers.
Speaking at the event, Xiaomi founder and CEO Lei Jun said, “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 further added that the upcoming SU7 is “a dream car comparable to Porsche and Tesla”.
Xiaomi SU7: Specs & features
The SU7 will be contract-manufactured by Beijing Automotive Industry Holding Co. Ltd (BAIC) on behalf of Xiaomi in China. The coupe electric sedan will be retailed under the company’s popular smartphone brand Mi and will be available in three variants namely SU7, SU7 Pro and SU7 Max. Xiaomi is offering the SU7 in three paint schemes– Aqua Blue, Mineral Gray, and Verdant Green.
At the launch event in Beijing, Lei said the autonomous driving capabilities of Xiaomi cars would be at the forefront of the industry. As a result, the SU7 comes equipped with Lidar-based autonomous driving features like self parking, adaptive cruise control, etc. the car runs on the brand’s HyperOS operating system.
As for dimensions, the midsize premium electric sedan gets a length, width and height of 4,997 mm, 1,963 mm, 1,440/1,455 mm, respectively and a wheelbase of 3,000 mm. It weighs between 1,980-2,205kg, depending on the specification picked.
Getting into its powertrain, Xiaomi will offer SU7 with two battery pack options– a 73.6kWh lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery from BYD in entry-level trims, and a larger 101kWh CTB (Cell to Body) battery pack from CATL. The estimated range of SU7 is rated at up to 800 km on a single charge. Xiaomi will also introduce a new V8 variant of SU7 with a larger 150kWh battery pack at a later stage.
The electric sedan will be available in two powertrain options— single motor and dual motor. The former gets a rear-wheel drive motor with a peak output of 220kW (295 hp) with a claimed top speed of 210 kmph. The dual-motor setup is reserved for the top-spec trim which gets an all-wheel drive system with a combined output of 495kW (664 hp). This version claims a top speed of 265 kmph.
Xiaomi claims that the SU7 is one of the fastest EVs in the global market with the motor spinning as high as 21,000 rpm. The company is yet to announce prices for the SU7 which is likely to happen soon.
(With inputs from Reuters)
