Xiaomi SU7: the Chinese electric saloon taking on Tesla and Porsche

Nearly three years after its initial announcement, and following investment of €1.277 billion, Xiaomi has finally unveiled its first car: the SU7. Unlike its smartphones, however, this is not something you can slip into your pocket.

The Chinese giant’s first automotive product is a generously sized, all-electric saloon, measuring roughly five metres long and almost two metres wide. It promises sports-car-rivalling performance - 0-100 km/h in 2.78 seconds in its most powerful form - along with substantial range, at least on the lenient Chinese CLTC test cycle.

“Xiaomi wants to become one of the world’s five largest car manufacturers within the next 15-20 years.”

Lei Jun, Xiaomi chief executive

Xiaomi is making no secret of its intentions, positioning the SU7 against cars such as the Tesla Model S and Porsche Taycan. Is that overly ambitious? Here is a closer look at it.

The most aerodynamic production car of all

Xiaomi says the new SU7 is the production car with the world’s lowest drag coefficient, at just Cₓ 0.195. That undercuts the Mercedes-Benz EQS, with 0.20, and the Tesla Model S, at 0.208.

Its streamlined silhouette and flowing surfaces - which recall the Taycan - will undoubtedly play a part, as will the designer behind them. The exterior was penned by James Qiu, who is no stranger to creating highly aerodynamic vehicles. He was one of the people responsible for the Mercedes-Benz Vision EQXX concept, which has a Cₓ of 0.17.

The SU7’s aerodynamic features also include an active lower air intake, which can open and close across 16 settings depending on requirements, plus an active rear spoiler with four adjustment levels. It also gets air suspension and adaptive damping.

An electric car with “V6” and “V8” motors

The Chinese brand’s automotive debut has been revealed in two forms: the entry-level SU7 and the SU7 Max. Their principal differences lie in their powertrains and technology content.

Both are based on the same platform, named… Modena. Yes, the Italian city where Ferrari and Maserati are headquartered.

Someone at Xiaomi clearly has a sense of humour, as the motors fitted - and due to be fitted - to this exclusively electric model are called HyperEngine V6, HyperEngine V6s and HyperEngine V8s. Yes, you read that correctly: V6 and V8, as though they were combustion engines.

These electric motors stand out for the revs they can reach. The V6 and V6s both spin to a maximum 21,000 rpm, while the V8s, which will not arrive until 2025, is claimed to reach 27,200 rpm. Xiaomi is not stopping there either: it is developing a 35,000 rpm motor using carbon fibre.

The standard SU7 uses a rear-mounted HyperEngine V6, giving it rear-wheel drive. It produces 220 kW (299 hp) and 400 Nm of torque, and completes 0-100 km/h in 5.28 seconds.

In the SU7 Max, the “V6” is fitted to the front axle, while the rear axle receives the V6s, rated at 275 kW or 374 hp and 500 Nm. This provides four-wheel drive, a combined maximum output of 495 kW (673 hp) and 823 Nm of torque. It reaches 100 km/h in a mere 2.78 seconds and has a top speed of 265 km/h.

Up to 800 km of range on the Chinese cycle

Beyond their differing mechanical layouts, the two SU7 versions also use notably different batteries, starting with their voltage. Although the Modena platform supports more than 800 V, the standard SU7’s battery is limited to 400 V.

It uses LFP (lithium iron phosphate) chemistry, is supplied by CATL and has a 73.6 kWh capacity. This delivers a claimed 668 km under the Chinese CLTC cycle - under the WLTP cycle used here, range would be lower, with the figure beginning with a “5”.

The SU7 Max, meanwhile, has an 875 V, 101 kWh battery. Also supplied by CATL, it uses the more energy-dense NMC (nickel manganese cobalt) chemistry. Xiaomi claims 800 km of range for this version, once again on the permissive Chinese cycle.

A huge screen, but physical controls remain

Inside, the design follows current trends, with horizontal lines and an enormous 16.1-inch central touchscreen with 3K resolution taking centre stage.

Unlike some rivals, including Tesla, Xiaomi gives the driver a 7.1-inch fully digital instrument display positioned directly ahead, while retaining several physical controls.

Rear passengers also have access to two screens mounted behind the front seats. These are, in fact, Xiaomi tablets, or Mi Pads.

Everything in the cockpit is managed by the HyperOS operating system, powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 8295 processors. The advanced driver-assistance systems, known as Xiaomi Pilot, are powered by two Nvidia Orin-X chips with 508 TOPs of computing power - trillions of operations per second.

For advanced driving assistance, the SU7 Max also comes with a LiDAR unit, with a range of up to 200 m, mounted immediately behind the top of the windscreen - the bulge visible in some images. It is supported by an arsenal of radar units, 12 ultrasonic sensors and cameras. In other words, it has the potential for autonomous driving, and Xiaomi will test it in that role across 100 Chinese cities throughout 2024.

The largest frunk in its class

The Xiaomi SU7’s substantial exterior dimensions translate into generous room inside. The Chinese brand promises ample space, particularly for rear occupants - an especially important consideration in China, where long-wheelbase versions of several familiar models are sold.

It also claims it can carry everything passengers might need, with a 517-litre boot supplemented by the largest frunk - front boot - in its class, at 105 litres. That exceeds the Model S’s 89 litres and the Taycan’s 84 litres.

When will it arrive?

Mass production of the new Xiaomi SU7 is scheduled to begin during the first half of 2024 at one of BAIC’s - Beijing Automotive Industry Holding Co. Ltd - factories in China.

No date for the first deliveries or pricing was provided during this initial presentation.

Given that Xiaomi sees the Tesla Model S and Porsche Taycan as rivals, prices might be expected to sit close to those models.

However, CarNewsChina is more optimistic in its forecasts, suggesting that the entry-level SU7 could start at 300,000 yuan, just over €38,100. For comparison, the Model S starts at €88,900 in China.

Will we see the Xiaomi SU7 reach Europe and, more specifically, the United Kingdom?