Xiaomi has a second electric car in its range. The YU7 is positioned alongside the SU7, which will be launched on the market in March 2024. It is an SUV, which directly competes with the Tesla Model Y with slightly larger proportions: 4999 mm long, 1996 mm wide and 1600 mm high, with a wheelbase of 3000 mm, compared to 4797 mm long, 1920 mm wide and 1624 mm high, with a wheelbase of 2890 mm for the American rival. The new YU7 varies between 2140 kg and 2460 kg depending on the variants that we detail below.
In the cabin, there are also numerous elements of comparison with the Model Y. The Xiaomi YU7 has a central screen oriented towards both the driver and the passenger, without being completely integrated into the dashboard. It is overlooked by another screen, thinner, but spanning the entire width of the cabin. BMW has similar plans for this type of technology. A 6.68-inch screen is also available for the rear seats. And in terms of storage, a small trunk at the front is available for some luggage or for charging cables, in addition to the rear trunk. To increase comfort, the seats can be lowered to 123 degrees
Up to 835 km of autonomy
The YU7, by its name, which strangely recalls the Model Y with its choice of letter, will be available in three versions, like the SU7 sedan. The entry-level "Standard" offers simple propulsion and the "small" battery (as you will see, it remains huge), the "Pro" version with all-wheel drive and finally a "Max" version still with all-wheel drive, but with an even bigger battery. In terms of autonomy, it is still preferable to choose the Standard version.
Under the hood, Xiaomi has focused on autonomy, but also on performance with large motors. The Standard version manages to offer the longest autonomy on a charge thanks to its more limited performance: 320 hp for a range in kilometers (according to the Chinese CLTC cycle) of 835 km. The Pro version offers 496 hp and 770 kilometers of autonomy. Finally, the Max version increases the power to 690 hp for a range that is maintained compared to the Pro version thanks to more efficient battery cells: 760 kilometers.
The batteries of the Xiaomi YU7, from LFP to NMC
The integrated batteries are the same as those of the sedan, except that Xiaomi does not offer the "small" 73.6 kWh offered in the Standard version of the SU7. We therefore go directly to 96.3 kWh on the Standard and Pro models of the new Xiaomi YU7 SUV. An LFP battery that contrasts with the immense 101.7 kWh block of NMC (nickel manganese and cobalt) chemistry, much more expensive, but also more efficient. It should be noted that the SUV was entirely developed on an 800 V platform, enough to offer very fast direct current charging.
Faced with the new Xiaomi YU7, a Tesla Model Y, even a restyled one, is no match. According to its Chinese CLTC cycle, the American SUV offers a maximum range of 593 kilometers in rear-wheel drive version and 719 kilometers in all-wheel drive version. Xiaomi would therefore be able to offer a model with a range of nearly 100 kilometers longer, according to its statements, by opting for its base model. Pricing for the model remains to be determined, and should be competitive. The car is expected to go on sale next July.
Recall that in December 2024, plans for marketing the new automotive division outside of China were accelerating. Xiaomi was thus seeking to recruit the first members of a team responsible for deploying the activity in foreign markets. A journalist from the website 36Kr thus argued that, given the success of the SU7 and Xiaomi's knowledge of foreign markets with its smartphone sales, its chances of making a breakthrough were high, including in Europe. Since then, the brand has clearly indicated that a launch on the Old Continent is planned from 2027, three years ahead of its initial plans.
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