Xiaomi stepped into the realm of Electric Vehicles (EV) today with the launch of its SU7, albeit deep into what was effectively a drawn-out presentation. As presented by Lei Jun, CEO of Xiaomi, it’s fully loaded with all the bells and whistles that would delight enthusiasts.
The SU7, the SU part of the name being short for “Speed Ultra”, is a sedan style EV that Xiaomi says will deliver acceleration speeds far beyond what its now rivals, Tesla and Porsche, can deliver with their respective EVs. Further, the vehicle will be available in two flavours: a standard rear-wheel drive version and a Max version with dual motor all-wheel drive.
#XiaomiSU7 Aqua Blue. Isn't it beautiful? pic.twitter.com/HxRRH96rNQ
— Lei Jun (@leijun) December 28, 2023
Specs-wise, the standard version will have a 0-100km/h time of 5.28 seconds, 210km/h top speed, 200ps of horsepower, 400Nm torque, and a recharge range of 668km. As for the SU7 Max, the model will have a 0-100km/h of 2.78s, top speed of 265km/h, 673ps of horsepower, 838Nm of torque, and a recharge range of 800km.
One highlight is the massive CATL battery of the SU7. As it is with other EV manufacturers, Xiaomi says that it created its own EV battery from scratch and even went so far as to develop its own technology for it. It calls it Cell-To-Body (CTB) technology, and is made to fit into the floor of the SU7. Like all vehicles of the electrical nature, and because it has no engine, burying the battery cells into where the floor would have been, ensuring a more “rigid” structure but more importantly, it means more cabin space inside. Therefore enhancing the comfort factor.
We've developed our own CTB (Cell-to-Body) technology, which integrates the battery into the vehicle body, significantly improving structure rigidity, eliminating the floor, and thus reducing the height for a more spacious cabin. pic.twitter.com/AdEEwzJPU1
— Lei Jun (@leijun) December 28, 2023
Another factor that Lei Jun spoke in particular was how the SU7 was being positioned to consumers that live in countries with harsh winters and how extreme cold weather can wear down a battery faster. To counteract that, he says that the EV and its battery will come with fast-charging capabilities and be equipped with its own advanced technology that would mitigate such conditions, allowing it to sustain its charge even in said harsh conditions.
The Xiaomi SU7 is expected to go on sale sometime during the early part of next year, hopefully, in China. The vehicle will be available in three colourways: Aqua Blue, Mineral Gray, and Verdant Green. At the time of writing, the brand did not provide a starting SRP, nor did it mention if the vehicle would see distribution in other countries outside China.
