Imagine buying a sports car with an aerodynamic hood for 5,000 euros, only to find out that the hood is just a fashion accessory. It's like buying a Rolex that only shows the phases of the moon. Well, Xiaomi decided that was acceptable. All for "looks", nothing for function. And yes - people were a little angry. That's also the Xiaomi YU7.
But this is just a warm-up before the main show: SUV with a name Xiaomi YU7, which is supposed to send the Tesla Model Y into the electric ring. According to Xiaomi logic - if you already make smartphones, you can also compete with the largest EV empire on the planet. It's not difficult, right? But the beginnings are difficult, as some stories in recent weeks show.
Software sabotage show at the SU7 Ultra – the world's fastest sedan
While the public was still getting over the aerodynamic placebo, Xiaomi overnight software-updated its SU7 Ultra – its ultra sedan – and knocked its power from 1,548 hp to 900. Hello?! This is no longer just mechanical castration, this is pure automotive lobotomy. And then they wondered why the internet exploded.
What does Xiaomi do? It announces that it is a malicious online campaign. It says that almost 10,000 accounts on Weibo and Xiaohongshu are running an organized smear operation. And you know what, it might even be true. But hey – where were those PR managers when they were marketing the “fake hood”?
And then comes the YU7… the SUV of the future…
On paper, the YU7 is a marvel of nature. Three models: Standard, Pro and Max. 96.3 kWh battery, 830 km range (if you really don't turn on the air conditioning), 800-volt architecture and brutal power. Sprint to hundreds? 5.9 seconds. The Tesla Model Y looks like a slightly out of breath yoga teacher in this comparison.
And this: 15 minutes of charging = 620 km of range. Tesla? It takes almost twice as long to do the same. Oh, Xiaomi also wisely calculated that the YU7 is almost 400 kg heavier, but it makes up for this with additional comfort and price. Of course, if you're willing to endure another 50 weeks for delivery.
Industrial plans of a giant that is not quite big yet
Production is taking place in Beijing, where the factory has already been expanded into two phases. The first phase is scheduled to be completed in 2023, and the second in June 2025. Lei Jun says that by the end of the year they will produce 380,000 vehicles (280,000 SU7 and 100,000 YU7). Which is more than they even dared to publicly promise. Ambition is not the problem. Realization? Well, the SU7 still has a waiting period of almost a year. So… calm down.
Inside: more screens than NASA
The YU7's interior is somewhere between a gaming console and a technological Zen. Everything is controlled via screens, a central display as big as a 2005 television, AI in every button, an Xring 01 chip that's smarter than half the comments on Facebook. It just doesn't make coffee. Not yet.
Conclusion: Tesla doesn't need to tremble, but it can start listening
The Xiaomi YU7 is interesting. Serious. Technically impressive. But the first generation? A little too enthusiastic, not enough self-criticism. And that old story about first learning to walk before you can run — Xiaomi ignores it. They prefer to wear sprinters from the start and shout: “We are the new Tesla!”
Not yet, Xiaomi. But it's nice to see you at the starting line.
