Highlights
- Xiaomi is gearing up to release the Xiaomi SU7 Ultra, a new luxury vehicle that is fitting of the current era.
- Xiaomi’s take on the EV formula has taken Chinese markets by storm as the SU7 has overtaken the Model 3, according to sales figures.
- Tesla has been leading the electric vehicle sphere globally for the majority of the years, but now a brand new contender has stepped up.
The Xiaomi SU7 electric performance sedan entered production in March 2024 and subsequently sold 30,000 units during the first three months of its release. Compared to the Tesla Model 3 which sold around 5,065 in April of 2024, the SU7 had sold over 7,058 units in China. Now, Xiaomi has announced that the Xiaomi SU7 Ultra and Xiaomi YU7 will be officially launching on the 27th of February, 2025. The EV is currently up for pre-order with a price that is around 4 times greater than that of the regular SU7.
Tesla and Xiaomi’s rivalry in Chinese markets
Xiaomi is preparing to launch the Xiaomi SU7 Ultra and the Xiaomi YU7, which is to rival Tesla’s model Y. Going back to the year 2024, in the months between April and June, Tesla’s Model 3 sold around 38,446 units in China, successfully surpassing the SU7 in sales. Even during the July-September period, it held a firm advantage at 52,052 units registered, whereas Xiaomi only sold around 39,790 SU7 units during the same period of time.
Sales for the Xiaomi SU7 began to shoot upwards during the months of October, November, and December 2024 where it managed to outsell the Model 3. Tesla, in these months had managed to ship out 52,241 units, while Xiaomi sold 69,697 units of the EV. The figures looked promising as Xiaomi sold 20,726 units in October, 23,156 units in November, and 25,815 units in December.
The demand for the Xiaomi SU7 sedan was strong going into 2025 as well, selling around 22,897 units of the car in January of this year. Comparatively, Tesla Model 3 sold just 8,009 units. CPCA went on to reveal that between April 2024 and January 2025, Xiaomi delivered 162,384 units of the Xiaomi SU7 EV, while Tesla Model 3, on the other hand, delivered 152,748 units during the same period.
Xiaomi SU7 Ultra: Luxury and Performance
The Xiaomi SU7 Ultra is an ultra-performance variant of the SU7 electric sedan, built by Xiaomi and unveiled on the 29th of October, 2024. It went on pre-purchase for RMB 814,900 Yuan (around 97,85,403 INR) and garnered 3,680 orders merely 10 minutes after the beginning of pre-sales. Comparatively, the SU7 had a starting price of RMB 215,900 Yuan (around 25,94,504 INR).
The main intention behind the release of the Ultra variant was to create a new luxury car brand that fits in with the current era. Lei Jun, Founder, Chairman, and CEO of Xiaomi, was highly confident about the sales of this upcoming EV.
“The Xiaomi SU7 Ultra is a strong product, and our team is confident that we are 90 percent sure of our 10,000-unit annual sales target,” Lei had expressed as such.
Xiaomi EV, the car-making branch of the company, announced on the 24th of February that the SU7 Ultra would be launched on the 27th of February, 2025. This launch is to take place during an event that is to be held in Beijing at 7 PM local time (4:30 PM IST).
Lei went on to say, “Our goal is that it(SU7 Ultra) is comparable to Porsche in performance, Tesla in technology, and BBA in luxury.” here, BBA is referring to the German luxury car brands of Mercedes-Benz, BMW, and Audi. Additionally, Xiaomi is expected to launch the YU7 electric SUV (Sport Utility Vehicle) in the upcoming months.
Xiaomi YU7: The electric SUV
Various spy shots of the Xiaomi YU7 SUV by Xiaomi have recently popped up, where we can see the ESUV in all its glory. The leaked images show off a high-tech, sporty cabin with a futuristic dashboard and advanced digital interfaces with premium materials. Set to launch in June 2025, the Xiaomi YU7 has the position to compete with the Tesla Model Y, with a starting price that is expected to be around 250,000 Yuan (around 30,04,290 INR).
A major highlight of this model is the absence of a traditional instrument cluster, which is replaced by a Panoramic Heads-Up Display (PHUD) that projects key driving information onto the windshield. Featured on the center console is a floating infotainment screen, slightly smaller than what is available on the SU7, which is likely for better integration with the PHUD. The entire system is to run on Xiaomi’s Hyper OS.
Sharing many platform elements with the SU7, the YU7 may incorporate Xiaomi’s in-house-developed powertrain, along with fast-charging capabilities for long-distance driving. As the launch for both the SU7 Ultra and YU7 SUV draws near, details of the specifications and performance for these models are highly anticipated.
