Xiaomi SU7: A New Era in Electric Cars

Xiaomi, a renowned Chinese brand known for its affordable smartphones, is now venturing into the electric car market with its first-ever electric sedan, the Xiaomi SU7. This innovative vehicle is based on the company’s Modena Architecture and features HyperEngine electric motors with an impressive 21,000rpm. The SU7 is designed to outperform Tesla’s Model S and Porsche’s Taycan Turbo, offering a range of up to 800km and a 0-100km/h acceleration of just 2.78 seconds.

The Xiaomi SU7 comes in two variants: the dual-motor all-wheel-drive SU7 Max and the single-motor rear-wheel-drive SU7. The SU7 Max boasts a range of up to 800km, while the SU7 offers a range of up to 668km. The SU7 is equipped with a 101kWh 800V high-voltage platform, which allows for a 220km range with just a 5-minute charge, 390km in 10 minutes, and 510km in 15 minutes.

Xiaomi has assembled a talented team of designers and engineers to bring this project to life. The team includes Tianyuan Li, formerly of BMW’s iX series and iVision concepts, James Qiu from Mercedes-Benz, and Chris Bangle, a BMW veteran. The SU7 is designed to be comparable in size to the BMW 5 series, with dimensions of 1,440mm in height, 1,963mm in width, and 4,997mm in length. The vehicle is available in three color options: aqua blue, gray, and olive green.

The SU7 offers a spacious interior with generous legroom and trunk spaces. The trunk space consists of 517L in the back and an additional 105L in the front. The vehicle features water droplet-shaped headlamps, which resemble the Chinese character for “rice,” and a halo rear brake light with 360 LEDs.

Xiaomi has also introduced a HyperOS in-car entertainment system, powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8295 processor. The system allows for seamless access to media, seat adjustments, and control of Xiaomi appliances through a 16.1-inch 3K central screen. Additionally, optional Xiaomi Pad tablets can be mounted on magnetic ports behind the front headrests for enhanced functionality.

The Xiaomi CarIOT ecosystem is open to third-party integrations, allowing for features such as a smart booster car seat that reminds users if the seat belt is not fastened. iPhone users can also benefit from wireless CarPlay and AirPlay connectivity, as well as iPad-mounting options for rear passengers.

Xiaomi has incorporated physical buttons for climate control and additional functions, such as toggling the spoiler and adjusting the body height. The SU7 also features advanced autonomous driving capabilities, thanks to the Xiaomi Pilot platform, which is powered by up to two NVIDIA Drive Orin processors and an array of sensors. These sensors include a top-mounted Lidar with a visual range of up to 200m and pixel accuracy of down to 0.1m, enabling better detection of thin and smaller obstacles.

Xiaomi aims to complete autonomous driving tests in 100 cities across China by the end of 2024. The company has also teased future developments, including the HyperEngine V8s with a record-breaking 27,200rpm and a next-gen electric motor tech based on carbon fiber, capable of a remarkable 35,000rpm.

While Xiaomi has not yet revealed the prices for the SU7 line, the company’s CEO, Lei Jun, has hinted that they will be expensive. The exact availability and pricing details will be announced in a few months. Xiaomi has also introduced limited edition colors for the Xiaomi 14, 14 Pro smartphones and the Xiaomi Watch S3 eSIM, which match the colors of the upcoming SU7.

In conclusion, the Xiaomi SU7 represents a significant leap forward in electric car technology, showcasing impressive performance, design, and advanced features. While the exact pricing and availability details are yet to be announced, the SU7 is poised to make a strong impact in the electric car market.