Smartphone giant Xiaomi is rapidly gaining ground in the competitive Chinese electric vehicle market.The company surpassed Tesla in domestic vehicle deliveries during October, fueled by strong demand for its new YU7 SUV – a model drawing attention for its design similarities to the high-end Ferrari Purosangue. This latest success highlights Xiaomi’s aspiring push into automotive manufacturing following its initial foray with the SU7 sedan and signals a shifting landscape in the global EV industry.
Xiaomi is experiencing strong sales performance in its domestic market, surpassing Tesla in vehicle deliveries in China during October. The surge is largely attributed to the popularity of its YU7 SUV, which bears a striking resemblance to the significantly more expensive Ferrari Purosangue.
Xiaomi, traditionally known for its consumer electronics – including smartphones and robotic vacuums – has been making inroads into the automotive market in recent years. As the world’s third-largest mobile phone manufacturer, the company first unveiled its electric sedan, the SU7, with the top-tier Ultra version achieving a lap time of 7:04.957 on the famed Nürburgring circuit, placing it among the fastest vehicles ever to complete the track.
Following the SU7, Xiaomi introduced the YU7 SUV, whose design, particularly its pronounced rear haunches, closely echoes that of the Ferrari Purosangue sports crossover. The YU7 is also an all-electric vehicle, positioned to compete directly with the Tesla Model Y, the world’s best-selling car in 2023.
In October, Xiaomi delivered 48,654 vehicles in China, with 33,642 of those being the YU7 model. While Tesla delivered an impressive 61,500 Model Ys, 35,400 were destined for international markets, leaving 26,100 units for domestic sales. Since launching the YU7 in July, Xiaomi has sold over 70,000 units – a strong performance for a newcomer in the automotive industry. This performance underscores the growing competition within the Chinese EV market.
Xiaomi is also continuing to expand its offerings. At the Guangzhou Auto Show, the company unveiled a customization program featuring a wide range of exterior paint colors – reportedly exceeding 100 shades – reminiscent of Porsche’s “Paint to Sample” service.
While Porsche charges hundreds of thousands of dollars for bespoke paint finishes, Xiaomi is taking a more accessible approach. Pricing for the customization options will start around $235 USD, a figure that many automakers charge for standard metallic and pearl paint options.
Xiaomi is the fastest electric car on the Nürburgring
• Source: Xiaomi
Customers will also be able to select different wheels, have Brembo brake calipers painted to their desired color, or replace standard logos with black, carbon fiber, or even gold-plated versions.
The base YU7 is a rear-wheel-drive model with a single 235 kW (315 hp) electric motor producing 528 Nm (388 lb-ft) of torque. Two all-wheel-drive versions are also available, offering 365 kW and 508 kW of system power, respectively. All three versions utilize a 96.3 kWh battery pack.
The base model starts at approximately $10,500 USD in China, while the top-of-the-line Max version costs around $13,700 USD.
Source: Carscoops and original article, photo and video: Xiaomi
