The Released Specs Lead Tesla Model S
Whether It Can Be Lowered Below 250,000 Yuan Remains to Be Seen
Chinese Xiaomi, famous for its excellent performance relative to price to the extent of being called the 'Accidental Continent,' has unveiled its first electric vehicle. While the local market gave passing marks for performance and appearance, it evaluated that 'price' is the key to surviving in the fiercely competitive electric vehicle market.
According to Chinese economic media Caixin on the 28th, Xiaomi held a technology conference at the National Convention Center in Beijing, China, and introduced the technology to be equipped in its first pure electric vehicle SU7, scheduled for release in January next year. Lei Jun, Chairman of Xiaomi, said at the event, "Today marks 1,003 days since Xiaomi declared its entry into the electric vehicle industry," adding, "Within the next 15 to 20 years, we will become one of the world's top five automobile manufacturers."
Chairman Lei continued, "Xiaomi's goal is to create a dream car that competes with Porsche and Tesla," emphasizing, "No matter how long it takes, we will achieve the industry's highest level in core technologies." He explained, "We will invest ten times more to leap into the world's top five automobile manufacturers," and "We will create a smart space that looks good, is easy to drive, comfortable, and safe."
Earlier, Xiaomi revealed the first real photo of its first pure electric vehicle model, the Xiaomi SU7. The new car is a mid-to-large pure electric vehicle, expected to be equipped with a V6s motor delivering 275 kW, 21,000 rpm, and a maximum torque of 500 N·m. Based on the disclosed specifications, it surpasses the Tesla Model S (253 kW, 20,000 rpm, 480 N·m). The power system is known to include two battery pack options of 73.6 kWh and 101 kWh, and Xiaomi announced a maximum driving range of 800 km on a single full charge. The model unveiled on the day features multi-piston brake calipers, large wheels, and a panoramic canopy. The vehicle operating system is Xiaomi's self-developed Hyper OS.
The exterior was also evaluated as similar to Porsche and McLaren, with triangular headlights and unique LED lighting clusters arranged on the front. The rear features a liftable electric rear spoiler and a through-type taillight design.
The highly completed autonomous driving technology revealed that day also attracted attention. Xiaomi said it invested about 1,000 research personnel and a total of 4.7 billion yuan (approximately 852 billion KRW) in related technology. Chairman Lei received applause by unveiling a video at the conference showing the vehicle moving autonomously in autonomous driving mode into a narrow parking tower space and completing parking.
Local Chinese experts evaluate that the success of the SU7 depends on 'price.' An automobile dealer told Caixin, "The basic version has no advantages compared to competitors, and the focus should be mainly on promoting the high-performance version," adding, "The key to success lies in whether the price can be lowered below 250,000 yuan." Another dealer estimated, "Considering the specifications, the price is expected to be around 300,000 yuan," but added, "However, at this price, it lacks market competitiveness."
Regarding the new car's price, Chairman Lei said, "It will not be as low as 99,000 yuan or 149,000 yuan," adding, "In fact, it is somewhat expensive, but the price is reasonable."
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