Chinese tech giant Xiaomi has officially entered the electric vehicle (EV) race with the unveiling of its first electric car, the SU7. Xiaomi’s CEO and co-founder, Lei Jun, showcased the SU7 at the China National Convention Center in Beijing, expressing the company’s aspirations to rival Tesla and Porsche.
The SU7, short for Speed Ultra, was developed with a significant $10 billion budget, with the company putting that much money behind it as a strategic move to disrupt the transport sector as it did with smartphones. Lei Jun emphasized that Xiaomi’s goal is to create a dream car on par with the performance of Porsche and the technological prowess of Tesla.
The sedan boasts a range of up to 800 kilometers (500 miles) on a single charge, adjustable spoilers, a top speed of 265km/h (165mph), and a 0 to 100km/h time of just 2.78 seconds. The SU7 will feature batteries from Chinese market leaders Contemporary Amperex Technology (CATL) and BYD. It will come in both single and dual motor configurations, and be available in several different colours to match those offered on Xiaomi smartphones.
The pricing details are yet to be revealed, but Lei hinted that it wouldn’t fall into the lower price brackets speculated on social media. Xiaomi aims to sell the SU7 from next year, partnering with state-owned Beijing Automotive Group Co. to produce the electric sedan.
On the inside the SU7 runs on Xiaomi’s proprietary “HyperOS,” an architecture developed over six years that aims to provide a seamless experience across smartphones, smart home systems, and cars, aligning with Xiaomi’s vision of creating a “Human x Car x Home” smart ecosystem.
