After hinting at its release for several months, technology firm Xiaomi, has recently unveiled its first electric vehicle. The smartphone and gadget behemoth takes on the likes of Tesla and fellow Chinese automotive giant, BYD, in what is becoming an increasingly congested market with its sporty ‘SU7’ sedan.
Revealed in the last week of 2023, the single-motor SU7 and dual-motor SU7 Max are powered by Xiaomi’s own 21 000 revolutions-per-minute ‘HyperEngine’ electric motor and a battery pack by Ningde-based Contemporary Amperex Technology Limited (CATL), providing the SU7 with a listed range of roughly 800 kilometres.
The SU7 accelerates from 0-100 kilometres per hour in just 2.78 seconds – roughly as quickly as a Lamborghini Aventador – and will keep accelerating until it reaches a top speed of 265 kilometres-per-hour.
The company’s goal was to develop and manufacture a “dream” EV that could compete with the likes of Porsche and Tesla, said Lei Jun (right), Xiaomi’s CEO, speaking at the SU7 launch ceremony in Beijing. The billionaire also claimed Xiaomi was striving to cement its position as a top-five player in the sector.
The SU7 finds itself in an incredibly congested marketplace, particularly at home. The Chinese mainland accounts for nearly 60 percent of the globe’s sales of Evs, according to the South China Morning Post.
Significant research, development and marketing costs, as well as an smorgasbord of EV options for prospective buyers, make it exceedingly difficult for manufacturers to turn a profit.
Alto, an EV brand backed by smartphone and communications technology giant Huawei, reported it had received 54 000 orders for its M9 SUV since September 2023, with deliveries set to commence at the end of January.
Lei Jun said the company was currently working on improving the SU7’s already powerful power unit, adding that 2025 models will sport a 27 200 revolutions-per-minute motor and the Xiaomi research and development team had even lab-tested a HyperEngine capable of reaching a mind boggling 35 000 revolutions-per-minute.
For comparison’s sake, the SU7’s class rivals, the Tesla Model S Plaid and Porsche Taycan Turbo, put out just 20 000 and 16 000 revolutions-per-minute respectively.
At the SU7 launch event, Xiaomi also revealed its own autonomous driving system. Complete with Lidar and an AI-powered language model, the system can perform a variety of functions, including self-parking and rush-hour driver aids.
Lei Jun told attendees that Xiaomi has employed 1 000 professionals and spent $658 million on perfecting the vehicle’s autonomous driving features.
The SU7, which comes standard with HyperOS, an operating system that seamlessly connects to Xiaomi smartphones, will undergo several more months of trials before being made available to the public this year.
https://interestingengineering.com/transportation/chinas-xiaomi-first-ev-launch
