Xiaomi, the Chinese electronics giant, unveiled its luxury electric sports car, the SU7 Ultra, on Tuesday, marking a bold entry into the high-performance electric vehicle market. Priced at $114,000, the SU7 Ultra positions itself as the world’s fastest four-door production car, directly challenging industry leaders like Tesla and Porsche.
During a live-streamed event that lasted over three hours, Xiaomi CEO Lei Jun, renowned for his near-celebrity status in China, showcased the SU7 Ultra to an eager audience. “This is the world’s fastest four-door mass-produced car currently available,” Lei declared. “When people ask why we created such a powerful machine, my answer is simple: we’re building a dream car.”
Challenging the Titans
The SU7 Ultra’s specifications place it in direct competition with the Tesla Model S Plaid and the Porsche Taycan Turbo. A comparison chart presented by Lei highlighted the SU7 Ultra’s superior acceleration and top speed over the Taycan Turbo. Lei also claimed that while the SU7 Ultra surpasses the Model S Plaid in speed, Tesla’s offering maintains a slightly better driving range of 672 km compared to the SU7 Ultra’s 630 km on a single charge.
By aligning the SU7 Ultra’s pricing with the Tesla Model S Plaid in China at 814,900 yuan ($114,200), Xiaomi signals its intent to compete on performance and innovation rather than cost—a shift from its previous strategy of appealing to value-conscious consumers.
Engineering Excellence
The SU7 Ultra boasts advanced features such as carbon-fiber components, including the roof, performance ceramic brakes, and aerodynamic styling. These elements not only enhance the vehicle’s performance but also establish it as a showcase of Xiaomi’s technological prowess in the automotive sector.
Ahead of the event, Lei Jun announced that a prototype of the SU7 Ultra had set a record lap time at Germany’s renowned Nürburgring track, a benchmark for vehicle acceleration and handling that has provided automakers with bragging rights for decades.
Market Ambitions
Xiaomi aims to deliver 120,000 SU7 vehicles by the end of the year, with the first SU7 Ultras expected to be delivered in March. The company began taking orders on Tuesday and reported receiving over 3,600 orders within the first ten minutes of the car’s debut.
Since June, Xiaomi’s EV deliveries in the Chinese mainland have exceeded 10,000 units per month, reaching a peak of over 20,000 vehicles in October. The launch of the SU7 Ultra represents Xiaomi’s strategic move to establish itself as a formidable player in the high-performance EV market.
Expanding Product Line
In addition to the SU7 Ultra, Xiaomi also unveiled its flagship Xiaomi 15 smartphone series during the event, with prices starting at 4,499 yuan ($630). The new smartphones will be available for purchase from Thursday, indicating Xiaomi’s continued growth and diversification in consumer electronics.
Reference(s):
Xiaomi launches faster version of flagship EV in challenge to Tesla
cgtn.com
