Chinese tech giant Xiaomi, best known for its affordable smartphones and wide range of smart home gadgets, is making a bold move into the electric vehicle market. With the launch of its first car, the Xiaomi SU7, the company is stepping directly into competition with Tesla on the EV front and with Apple in the race for connected ecosystems.
This marks a turning point for Xiaomi. For years, the brand built its reputation by delivering high-quality products at prices that undercut the competition. Now it is carrying that same strategy into the automotive world. Much like Apple once envisioned with its now-canceled Project Titan, Xiaomi wants the car to be more than just a vehicle. It wants the SU7 to serve as a central hub in a much larger connected lifestyle.
Key Takeaways
- Xiaomi’s First Car: The Xiaomi SU7 is a full-size electric sedan that is now available in China.
- Direct Competition: It goes head-to-head with Tesla’s Model 3 and plays a central role in Xiaomi’s “Human x Car x Home” ecosystem vision.
- Pricing and Performance: Priced below the Tesla Model 3 in China, the SU7 offers performance figures that match or even exceed Tesla’s specifications.
- Ecosystem Advantage: The SU7’s strongest selling point is its integration with Xiaomi’s existing network of phones, wearables, and home devices.
Xiaomi’s Strategic Move into EVs
Xiaomi was founded in 2010 by Lei Jun and six other co-founders. It quickly rose in the smartphone market by offering high-spec devices at accessible prices. That same formula carried the company into a range of smart home products and wearables. Now Xiaomi is applying the same approach to electric cars with the SU7.
The vehicle is a sleek four-door fastback sedan designed to rival the Tesla Model 3. It comes in three versions: Standard, Pro, and Max.
The base SU7 comes in below the Tesla Model 3’s starting price in China while still delivering competitive performance. It offers rear-wheel drive with a single motor producing 295 horsepower, a top speed of 210 km/h, and a CLTC-certified range of up to 700 km. For comparison, the Tesla Model 3 RWD has 320 horsepower, a top speed of 225 km/h, and a WLTP range of 491 km.
At the higher end, the SU7 Max features a dual-motor, all-wheel-drive setup with 664 horsepower, a top speed of 265 km/h, and a CLTC range of 800 km. Perhaps the most attention-grabbing statistic is its acceleration: 0 to 100 km/h in just 2.78 seconds, which is faster than the Tesla Model 3 Performance.
A Battle for the Connected Ecosystem
While pricing and performance help draw attention, Xiaomi’s real ambition lies in how the car fits into a wider digital experience.
The SU7 is powered by HyperOS, Xiaomi’s proprietary operating system that connects the car to a user’s smartphone and home devices. This allows for features such as checking a smart doorbell feed from the car’s display or activating a home air purifier while driving back. This concept, which Xiaomi calls “Human x Car x Home,” aims to create a seamless digital ecosystem that extends into mobility.
Apple had once been rumored to pursue a similar strategy with Project Titan, which was said to focus on deep integration between a car and its broader ecosystem of devices. But with Apple canceling its car project in early 2024, Xiaomi is moving into that space, positioning itself as a brand capable of blending hardware and software into a unified experience.
The introduction of the SU7 signals more than just Xiaomi’s entry into the EV market. It represents a shift in how the company wants to be seen. No longer only a budget phone maker, Xiaomi is positioning itself as a serious player in technology, lifestyle, and now transportation. By leveraging its enormous user base and experience in interconnected devices, Xiaomi is putting itself in direct competition with some of the world’s most powerful companies.
FAQs
Q. What is the Xiaomi SU7?
A. The Xiaomi SU7 is the first electric sedan made by Chinese consumer electronics company Xiaomi. It was released in 2024 and is on sale in China.
Q. Who is the Xiaomi SU7’s main competitor?
A. The Xiaomi SU7 is a direct competitor to the Tesla Model 3, offering a similar size and features but at a more competitive price point in the Chinese market.
Q. What is Xiaomi’s ‘Human x Car x Home’ strategy?
A. This is Xiaomi’s strategy to create a connected ecosystem where a person’s smartphone, smart home devices, and car are all integrated and controlled by a single operating system, HyperOS.
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