Xiaomi, the Chinese tech giant known for its smartphones and intelligent products, is moving significantly into the automotive industry with its first electric vehicle, the SU7. The full-size SUV debuted in March 2024, and orders started the same day, signalling Xiaomi’s ambition to disrupt the market.
The SU7 is the first model in Xiaomi’s new line of electric vehicles, and it comes in three variants: SU7, SU7 Pro, and SU7 Max. “SU” stands for “Speed Ultra,” reflecting the vehicle’s high-performance capabilities.
Xiaomi’s founder and CEO, Lei Jun, announced that the company’s new intelligent super factory, Xiaomi Smart Super Factory, can produce 40 of these electric vehicles per hour, demonstrating its commitment to quickly scaling up its production capabilities.
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The SU7 is expected to offer a range of advanced features, including autonomous driving capabilities, a sleek design, and cutting-edge technology. The vehicle’s launch marks a significant milestone for Xiaomi as it expands its product portfolio and enters a new market.
With its entry into the automotive industry, Xiaomi is poised to challenge established players and bring its unique approach to innovation and customer experience to electric vehicles. The SU7 is just the beginning, and Xiaomi’s move into the automotive industry is one to watch in the coming years.
Three hundred and eighty-one robots, eight per workstation, support 20 human workers in the body shop.
Xiaomi’s SU7 challenges Tesla with intelligent pricing and production.
“It takes less than 30 seconds from the time the parts are picked up until they are assembled to the car body,” says Elena Luchian. During development, the design was led by Li Tianyuan, a former BMW employee, and was codenamed MS11. It was measured about the Tesla Model S and Porsche Taycan. Following an announcement in 2021 of a $10 billion investment, the Xiaomi SU7 is now available for purchase.
Xiaomi has big goals in mind. The Beijing plant can produce 150,000 units a year. With Phase 1 manufacturing proceeding as planned, Xiaomi hopes to rank among the top 5 automakers in the world.
Teslas are sometimes produced in different amounts of time; reports state that the Model Y takes only 45 seconds at peak manufacturing pace. Other manufacturers want to reach the level of automation and digital maturity attained by Tesla.
The SU7 is deliberately priced to undercut Tesla’s Model 3, whose sales have profited from Gigafactory Shanghai’s local manufacturing.
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Xiaomi SU7 eyes BYD competition in the Chinese market.
In the first 24 hours of its release, Xiaomi claimed to have received close to 90,000 preorders. The delivery of buyers’ vehicles may take up to six months, as buyers have been informed.
Xiaomi does not intend to enter the North American market with its electric vehicle. Instead, it will concentrate on competing with Tesla and BYD, China’s leading electric vehicle manufacturers.
BYD concentrates on growing into markets outside Australia, Brazil, and Europe.