Xiaomi sells 300,000 vehicles in an hour

AIDED by strong government support, Chinese smartphone and consumer electronics company, Xiaomi, has launched its second car only four years after moving into the automotive manufacturing space.

In what Xiaomi executives described as a “miraculous moment for the industry”, one hour into the YU7 mid-size SUV’s launch phase, the smooth-looking vehicle had chalked up nearly 300,000 orders from Chinese buyers eager to get in early on what is promoted as a cut-price electric Ferrari Purosangue.

The YU7, a sister model to Xiaomi’s SU7 sedan lists in China from the equivalent of $A54,000 undercutting competitor Tesla’s market leading Model Y mid-size SUV by around $2K and is available in three grades: Standard, Pro and Max, in RWD, AWD and Performance AWD respectively.

The maker claims a range of between 770km to 835km model dependent using the lenient CLTC testing regime.

According to a report by ABC News, Xiaomi is sometimes referred to as China's Apple and is the world's second-largest smartphone manufacturer.

“Founder and chief executive of the electronics-turned-car company, Lei Jun, said he was astonished by the reaction from customers,” the ABC reported, saying the company received 196,000 paid pre-orders and 128,000 lock-in orders in quick succession.

After the launch, Xiaomi's Hong Kong-listed shares soared eight per cent at one point before pulling back slightly but ending at a record high.

Delving a little deeper into the YU7’s details we find a high-performance mid-size luxury SUV based on Xiaomi’s in-house-developed three core electric technologies (i.e., electric motor, power battery, motor control unit).

The base model Standard rear-wheel drive single-motor model will offer up 235kW/528Nm, fed by a 96.3kWh battery offering a claimed 835km range, reaching 100km/h in 5.8 seconds.

Stepping up, the mid-range Pro option gets dual motors producing a combined 365kW/690Nm, with the same battery, for a range of 770km and 4.2-second sprint time.

At the top of the range is the YU7 Performance Max, which scores dual motors offering a combined 508kW/866Nm, and it gets a slightly larger 101.7kWh battery, equating to a 0-100km/h time of 3.2 seconds and driving range of 760km.

The YU7 uses an upgraded Xiaomi HyperEngine V6s Plus (not an ICE engine), capable of a maximum 22,000rpm.

The impressive range capability of all three variants is due to a number of factors including super slippery aerodynamics rated at Cd 0.245 coupled with Xiaomi’s  “advanced” 800-volt silicon carbide electric drive platform that supports ultra-fast charging capable of 10-80 per cent as little as 12 minutes and can charge up to 620km of range in 15 minutes… at as low as 5.2 degrees centigrade.

Xiaomi YU7 features double wishbone front suspension and rear five-link suspension, dual-chamber closed air springs with high-performance continuously adjustable dampers, Brembo four-piston fixed callipers and more.

Xiaomi says the YU7 “strikes a delicate balance between dynamic handling and luxurious comfort”.

All three versions are equipped as standard with a Xiaomi Smart Chassis featuring road preview and adaptive suspension.

The system automatically adjusts when a bump is identified changing front and rear suspension stiffness to smooth the ride.

When entering underground carparks for example, air spring suspended chassis can adjust its height to reduce the risk of scraping as the dual chamber closed air springs offer a 40 per cent height adjustment range. Standard ride height is 222mm.

The model has continuously adjustable dampers for “seamless” transitions between a sportier and more cushioned feel the system smooths vibrations, minimizing body roll in corners for a poised and stable feel.

All three versions score variable steering ratio (VGR) that is said to deliver agile low-speed handling and stable high-speed control.

It has a tight turning radius to facilitate parking and tight city driving and braking capabilities said to be comparable with a sports car.

Xiaomi’s autonomous driving technology, available in its SU7 sedan model that is like the YU7 is under a cloud as a result of a March 2025 triple fatality in China when being “driven” in assisted driving mode.

Xiaomi said at the time that initial information showed the car was in the “navigate on autopilot” intelligent-assisted driving mode before the crash.

At the moment it is unclear whether or not Xiaomi will enter the Australian market.