Xiaomi launches its first e-car– SU7: Most affordable EV in the premium segment?

Following years of waiting, Xiaomi CEO Lei Jun finally introduced the company's first

electric car,

The SU7 is positioned as a full-size, high-performance eco-tech sedan, with dimensions of 5 metres in length, 2 metres in width, and a 3 metre wheelbase. As per the EV experts, the all-new vehicle aims to combine style with utility while making the “most affordable” factor a USP.

"We want it to be the most stylish, most convenient to drive, most intelligent car under $500,000, and it must also be a high-quality vehicle." "We built this dream car for our friends," Lei Jun announced during the launch. Further citing Jun, India Today reported, "This is a full-size high-performance eco-tech sedan which is 5 metres long, 2 metres wide and has a wheelbase of 3 metres."

In terms of cost, Lei Jun revealed that the base version of the vehicle retails for 215,900 yuan (about Rs. 24 lakh) in China. Furthermore, the Pro and Max variants of the automobile would cost 245,900 and 299900 yuan, respectively.

In terms of features, the Xiaomi SU7 is available in nine different hues. Xiaomi unveiled the automobile in three different colour variations at last month's MWC in Barcelona. Six more alternatives are now available.

There is a 220kW rear-wheel drive motor included with the SU7. The E-motor HyperEngine V8s stand out in particular because they have a maximum motor speed of 27,200 rpm, which allows them to produce a powerful 425kW of output and a peak torque of 635Nm. As previously announced by Xiaomi, this broke the world record for E-motors, enabling the automobile to reach 100 mph in under 5.3 seconds.

The fastest version of the vehicle, on the other hand, is said to be able to accelerate from zero to one hundred kilometres per hour in just 2.78 seconds, with a maximum speed of 265 kmph. Additionally, the vehicle has two engines that provide 637 horsepower and 838 newton metres of turbopower. Furthermore, SU7 is based on an 800-volt design, which is akin to that of Tesla's Cybertruck.

The SU7 from Xiaomi has striking design elements as well, such as its stylish concealed door handle, halo tail lights, and slim water-drop headlights. There is a multi-screen, futuristic cockpit with high-tech equipment within. Running on Xiaomi's Hyper OS, the vehicle interfaces with the company's other products, such as phones and tablets, with ease.

Moreover, you may expect a range between 700 and 900 km on a single charge, depending on the model. With an impressive 830 miles of range, the SU7 Pro surpasses the 700 km of the standard model. The SU7 Max has a range of around 900 kilometres.

The SU7 has technologies including Super-Res Occupancy Network Technology, Road-Mapping Foundational Model, and Adaptive BEV Technology that let it drive itself. The car is powered by two high-performance NVIDIA Orin chips.

The electric car is equipped with LiDAR, eleven HD cameras, three millimetre-wave radars, and twelve ultrasonic radars. The inside has a 56-inch HUD (heads-up display), a 7.1-inch spinning dashboard, and a 16.1-inch 3K central console. Passengers can install two iPads on the back seats for more convenience.

It is anticipated that the car’s lower price is a product of the Chinese government subsidies and the company’s marketing technique to attract customers. Meanwhile, the SU7 electric car will compete against EV market giants of China such as BYD’s RWD variants that range from Rs 22.5 lakhs to 28.2 lakhs or BYD’s Seal AWD 82 which costs around Rs 32.9 Lakhs.

However, as per earlier reports, the higher-end SU7 Max model would use nickel- and cobalt-based lithium batteries from CATL, while one type of the SU7 will use lithium iron phosphate batteries from BYD.