Chinese smartphone giant Xiaomi officially launched its YU7 electric SUV on Thursday, pricing the Tesla Model Y competitor at 253,500 yuan ($35,364) — 10,000 yuan less than Tesla's popular crossover in China.
The YU7 represents Xiaomi's second electric vehicle model and its first SUV as the company seeks to replicate the success of its SU7 sedan, which has consistently outsold Tesla's Model 3 in China for consecutive months this year.
Xiaomi will begin taking orders for all three YU7 variants starting Thursday night, with the mid-tier Pro model priced at 279,900 yuan and the high-performance Max variant at 329,900 yuan1. Tesla's Model Y, which was China's best-selling SUV in May, starts at 263,500 yuan1.
"The YU7 is positioned to replicate—and exceed—the SU7's success," according to investment analysis firm AInvest, noting that pre-orders for the YU7 were already three times higher than the SU7's launch levels2.
The YU7 offers superior range compared to Tesla's offering, with the base model achieving 835 kilometers per charge versus the Model Y's 593 kilometers12. Xiaomi CEO Lei Jun emphasized the vehicle's charging capabilities, claiming the YU7 can add 620 kilometers of range in 15 minutes thanks to its 800-volt platform, compared to Tesla's 27 minutes to charge from 10% to 80%1.
The SUV measures nearly 5 meters in length, making it 202 millimeters longer than the Model Y, and features a larger 96.3 kWh battery pack compared to Tesla's 62.2 kWh1. The top-tier Max variant can accelerate from 0-100 kilometers per hour in 3.23 seconds3.
Xiaomi's EV division has demonstrated rapid scaling capability, with the SU7 maintaining monthly deliveries exceeding 20,000 units for eight consecutive months1. The company delivered over 250,000 SU7 units in just over a year since launch2.
Lei Jun said at an investor conference this month that Xiaomi's EV business is expected to turn profitable in the second half of 20253. The YU7 launch comes as Tesla faces increasing pressure from Chinese competitors in the world's largest auto market.
Electrek automotive journalist Fred Lambert, who test-drove the YU7, said he would "trade my Model 3 performance in a heartbeat for a YU7," praising its technology integration and build quality4.
