Xiaomi SU7 set to rival Tesla in China with 800km range

Over 3 years of development and USD 1.4 billion investment, Xiaomi has taken the wraps off its first electric sedan — the SU7. The base standard SU7 comes with a rear-axle mounted electric motor whereas the Max trim boasts a twin-motor all-wheel-drive layout. 

The SU7 sits on Xiaomi’s Modena platform and offers a wheelbase of 3,000mm. Speaking of its other dimensions, the SU7 measures 4,997mm in length, 1,963mm in width and 1,455mm in height. Since the SU7 sits on a skateboard platform, it offers a front storage of 105 litres and a boot space of 517 litres.

If you glance over the exterior design of the SU7, it shares an uncanny resemblance with not one but three cars. The headlight design and bonnet shutline will remind you of a McLaren 720S while the side profile, with its tall roofline and large window area, looks reminiscent of the Tesla Model 3. The rear glass is also similar to the design of the Tesla Model 3 whereas the tail light design looks very similar to that of the Porsche Taycan. Nonetheless, the SU7 stands out with its sleek design and flowing body panels.

Heading on to the inside, the centre of attraction of the SU7’s dashboard is the freestanding 16.1-inch central touchscreen. The infotainment system of the SU7 runs on Xiaomi’s HyperOS that is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8295 processor. The SU7 also packs a suite of advanced driving assistance systems and passenger entertainment screens.

Powering the SU7 are a range of electric motors named V6, V6s, and V8s, not to be confused with internal combustion configurations. The base variants come with a rear-wheel drivetrain offering 300PS of power and 400Nm of torque. The lower variants come packed with a 73.6kWh battery pack, which is good for a range of 668km on a single charge.

The higher Max variants come with an all-wheel drivetrain as standard. Both motors combined offer 577PS of power and 838Nm of torque. The Max variants, thanks to the twin-motor setup, are capable of sprinting from a standstill to 100kmph in 2.78 seconds and hitting a top speed of 265kmph. In addition, the Max variants pack a larger 101kWh battery pack that is good for a certified range of over 800km.

Amit Saraswat: