Xiaomi made a bold move into the electric vehicle market on Tuesday by unveiling the SU7 Ultra, its latest luxury electric sports car. Priced at $114,200, the SU7 Ultra positions itself as the fastest four-door mass-produced car, directly challenging industry leaders like Tesla’s Model S Plaid and Porsche’s Taycan Turbo.
During a live-streamed product update that extended over three hours, Xiaomi CEO Lei Jun showcased the SU7 Ultra’s impressive performance. Lei highlighted that the SU7 Ultra outperforms the Porsche Taycan Turbo in both acceleration and top speed, even surpassing the Tesla Model S Plaid in speed. Although the Model S Plaid offers a slightly longer driving range of 672 km compared to the SU7 Ultra's 630 km, Xiaomi is focusing on performance rather than cost competitiveness.
The SU7 Ultra boasts advanced features, including carbon-fiber components, performance ceramic brakes, and aerodynamic styling. A comparison chart presented by Lei during the event illustrated how the SU7 Ultra excels against its competitors. Additionally, the prototype set a record lap time at Germany’s Nurburgring, a renowned benchmark for vehicle acceleration and handling.
Xiaomi aims to produce 120,000 SU7 vehicles by the end of the year, with the first deliveries scheduled for March. The company has already received over 3,600 orders within ten minutes of the SU7 Ultra’s debut. Since June, Xiaomi’s EV deliveries in China have consistently topped 10,000 per month, reaching over 20,000 vehicles in October.
In addition to the SU7 Ultra, Xiaomi also announced its flagship Xiaomi 15 smartphone series during the event, starting at 4,499 yuan ($630), available for purchase starting Thursday.
This strategic shift marks Xiaomi’s commitment to competing in the high-performance EV segment, showcasing its dedication to technology and innovation.
Reference(s):
Xiaomi launches faster version of flagship EV in challenge to Tesla
cgtn.com
