Chinese electronics giant Xiaomi has unveiled its very first car in China. The new SU7 is a mid-size electric sedan powered by two electric motors up to 673 hp. Not only does Xiaomi claim it can reach 100 kph in only 2,78 seconds, but it also has a range of 800 km (CLTC).

Xiaomi is the fourth largest smartphone maker in the world, but the electronics giant aims to become one of the top five global carmakers in the future. The SU7 will officially go on sale in China in a few months. Prices will be communicated by then, but Chinese media expect it to retail for around 300 000 yuan or 38 200 euros.

First but not last

For a first effort, Xiaomi is showing the big guns. The new SU7 is a mid-size electric sedan measuring nearly five meters and aiming at the Nio ET5 and Tesla Model 3. During the press conference, Xiaomi’s founder and CEO, Lei Jun, compared its first car to the Porsche Taycan Turbo.

We can see the influences in terms of design, especially in the rounded rear ¾. That sleek design isn’t for the show either, as Xiaomi claims a Cd of 0.195, among the lowest on the market.

Furthermore, this SU7 is the company’s first strike at the automotive market, but it won’t be the last as the brand is investing 10 billion yuan in the business. “The objective is to become one of the top five carmakers in the world with 15 to 20 years of hard efforts,” said CEO Lei Jun.

0-100 kph in 2,78 seconds

Under that robe sits an all-electric powertrain. The dual-motor version presented here is powered by two electric motors, one on each axle, providing a maximum output of 495 kW (673 hp) and 838 Nm of torque.

That power is sufficient to make the SU7 cross the 100 kph bar in only 2,78 seconds and reach a top speed of 265 kph. Now that we know the performance, it’s easy to see why Xiaomi is gunning for the Porsche Taycan (Turbo S: 0-100 kph in 2,8 s).

800 km range

Under the SU7 floor sits the new Qilin battery from CATL. With a capacity of 101 kWh, the AWD version of the SU7 has a theoretical range of 800 km. Once again, this is with the very optimistic Chinese homologation (CLTC). Xiaomi doesn’t give any charging power. However, it says the SU7 can gain up to 220 km in 5 minutes and 510 km in 15 minutes.

There are also talks of a less powerful variant, with a single electric motor of 220 kW (295 hp) on the rear axle. With a 73,6 kWh battery from China’s leading battery producer BYD, it should claim a range of 668 km (CLTC).

Smartphone technology

Inside, the SU7 presents a rather conventional dashboard for the first car of a smartphone maker. Of course, there are screens all over, but the infotainment uses a 16,1-inch 3K screen, while all driving information is centered on a 7,1-inch instrument cluster and a large head-up display projecting 56 inches. The rear seats also get a pair of screens, which are Xiaomi Mi Pads tablets.