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our first impressions behind the wheel of this renowned electric car

It was the million dollar question. And no matter how much we insist, we are left without knowing the answer. We talk about Xiaomi SU7a new electric car that is causing a lot of stir in China, the first market in which it is sold, and which we are waiting for to arrive in Spain.

When will it arrive? It was the main question that we have asked those responsible for the brand these days on the occasion of the presentation of the Xiaomi House in Madrid.

This is a demonstration by this company pointing out that everything around us (television, mobile phones, deep fryer, vacuum cleaner and even the car) can be connected and we can interact with them.

Well, despite our insistence, Xiaomi did not want to give us more details about its arrival in Spain. So for the moment we have to stay with the statements made by Jia Wei, head of Marketing Xiaomi Western Europe, in the Wake Up! forum from EL ESPAÑOL, in which he said that “Spain will be one of the first countries to receive the car”.

Of course, this presentation by Casa Xiaomi has allowed us, at least, get into the car (when stopped) and learn some more aspects of this model.

The Xiaomi SU7 draws a lot of attention for its design.

100,000 units in November

Before, of course, knowing more details about this model, we will first make a compilation with the most important aspects. And we remember in this sense that the Xiaomi SU7 is a large sedan with coupe shapes and 100% electric propulsion system that began selling in the spring of 2024.

Well, just over half a year after delivering the first units, Xiaomi has already confirmed that it has sold the first 100,000 units. In this way, Xiaomi has already fulfilled its promise of reaching this figure before the end of the year.

THE SPANISH behind the wheel of the Xiaomi SU7.

Of course, now the main challenge is to increase this production to be able to sell the car in other markets. And this is where the crux of the matter is. The Beijing factory where this SU7 is built has a limited production of approximately 150,000 units. And they need to expand it to reach 300,000 units.

It will be then, when production increases, when They can export it to other countries. Furthermore, Xiaomi not only hopes to sell that SU7, but It also wants to expand its range with a car with an SUV body.mainly to compete with the Tesla Model Y. Hence, it needs to expand production, especially if its founder wants to meet the goal of entering in it top 5 of the automobile industry in 15 or 20 years.

The design of the Xiaomi SU7 is sporty.

The uncertainty of tariffs

It is also worth remembering that initially Xiaomi had also started manufacturing this SU7 thanks to an agreement with Beijing Automotive Group Co (BAIC). Hence its development was so rapid, from the moment it was announced that this company was entering the automotive industry and until it actually began to sell the car.

And it is also worth remembering that BAIC, in turn, is a Chinese state company based in Beijing, which began selling cars at the end of the 50s and currently has an annual volume of approximately 2.5 million.

For this reason, one of the uncertainties that also surrounds the arrival of the Xiaomi car are the possible tariffs on Chinese cars. However, as it is not yet sold in Europe, we do not know how the Xiaomi will turn out in this regard.

Measurements of the Xiaomi SU7

Once next to the car we have to admit that it is impressive. It is a large sedan with coupe shapes. It measures 4.99 meters long, 1.96 meters wide and 1.45 meters high. Its length is three meters.

With these dimensions it is a type of car that does not have a large volume in markets like Spain due to its large size. For example, among possible rivals we talk about Mercedes EQE, Porsche Taycan, Audi e-Tron, BYD Han, Tesla Model S, BMW i5…

Xiaomi SU7 16-inch central screen.

Minority sales

Therefore, we already have a first conclusion and that is that, although this car is generating great expectations, we must also recognize that it belongs to a segment with very few sales in Spain.

To get an idea, references such as The Porsche Taycan or the Tesla Model S barely sell, between the two, a total of 200 units per year. Hence, if the Xiaomi SU7 finally arrives in Spain, its sales will also be reasonably small.

Also in this sense we have asked those responsible for the brand about what the sales method will be like. And although we have not obtained details in this sense either, everything seems to indicate that it will be through direct sales, just as Tesla does.

Behind the wheel of the Xiaomi SU7.

Xiaomi SU7 motors and batteries

Continuing with the Xiaomi SU7 range, this car is available in four variants, although it is likely that not all of them will reach Europe. The variant exhibited in Madrid is the Max, which would be the third in terms of power and performance.

The first of them is that the Most basic version will have BYD batteries with LFP. However, the most capable versions the association will be CATL and the voltage will be 800 volts, which will allow faster charges (up to 30 minutes at 80%).

Charging socket with Chinese standard.

It would also be necessary to see what autonomy they have. And here the figures provided by BYD are estimates, since the Chinese CLTC homologation cycle differs from the European WLTP. However, we could say that it is more than likely that its real autonomy is between 400 and 600 kilometers, depending on the consumptionwhich we do not know either, since the figures given are those of Chinese approval.

These are all the data we know…

SU7
SU7 Pro
SU7 Max
SU7 Ultra

Number of engines 1 1 2 2

Engine position Behind Behind Front and rear Front and rear

Rear-wheel drive Rear Total Total

Potencia total CV
299 CV
299 CV
673 CV
1.547 CV

Per motor 400 Nm 400 Nm 838 Nm 1,770 Nm

Batería Capacidad Bruta 73,6 kWh 94,3 kWh 101 kWh 95 kWh

Batería Capacidad Neta 73 kWh 92 kWh 99 kWh 93,7 kWh

LFP (Lithium Ferrophosphate) battery cell material NMC (nickel, manganese and cobalt) NMC (nickel, manganese and cobalt) NMC (nickel, manganese and cobalt)

BYD CATL CATL ND Battery Supplier

Electrical system voltage 400 800 800 800

Media 10% al 80% 122 kW 127 kW 220 kW 335 kW

Charge 10% to 80% 25 minutes 30 minutes 19 minutes 11 minutes

0 to 100 km/h 5.3 seconds 5.7 seconds 2.8 seconds 1.98 seconds

Velocidad
210 km/h
210 km/h
265 km/h
350 km/h

Autonomy (Chinese CLTC Standard) 700 km 830 km 800 km 700 km

What we (don’t) know about the price

We also highlight that, as it is not yet on sale in Europe, we cannot know what price it will have in Europe. Yes we know the prices of the Chinese market: The basic SU7 costs 215,900 yuan (28,331 euros) and for the Pro and Max variants 245,900 yuan (32,268 euros) and 299,900 yuan (39,354 euros), respectively.. Finally, the SU7 Ultra has a price of 814,900 yuan, just under 107,000 euros.

And will these figures be maintained in Europe? Well, here Xiaomi does not give us the answer, although according to our experience the price of a car in China compared to Europe is practically half. This means, therefore, that the intermediate versions could be between 60,000 and 80,000 euros.

Rims and tires 20 inches in diameter.

What did we think of it behind the wheel?

Well, here what we have to say is that the conclusions that we have been able to obtain with the car are still very limited since it is a unit that comes from China with Chinese specifications. For example, The charging port was not CCS and Xiaomi continually told us to be careful about touching the vehicle strongly. or close the doors forcefully, which may indicate that it was a pre-series unit.

Yes, it has surprised us, for example, that Xiaomi points out that all versions can equip LIDAR sensorswhich anticipates that it could have a highly advanced semi-autonomous driving (We will have to see what the regulation will be like in Europe in this regard).

We have also been struck by the possibility that exists from the car through its operating system to control some devices in the house.

And finally, note that the load curve is also very notable. This is something that we have not yet been able to verify on our own, but we have consulted companies that have already been able to verify the load curve of this model.

Xiaomi SU7 interior controls.

And in this sense, the 73.6 kWh SU version starts at 10% with a load of almost 170 kW peak to stay up to close to 125 kW at 70%. Therefore, it is a good load curve, with little drop and almost flat. In fact, the average from 10% to 80% is 122 kW of power.

Continuing with consumption, we cannot know it yet, but everything indicates – according to some specific media – that it will be around in good weather conditions about 400 kilometers on the highway traveling at 120 km/h. This means, therefore, that the expense will be around 18 kWh.

Finally, the Pro version, which is more interesting because it has the 94 kWh battery, we would be talking about a peak load of about 190 kW and that remains up to 125 kW at approximately 70%. The average from 10% to 80% is 127 kW. And in relation to consumption we would be talking, approximately, in a trip of 120 km/h of just over 500 kilometers of real autonomy.

And what did we like least? Well, the 7-inch instrument panel that seems small to us, although in return it has a head up display and with a 16-inch central screen.

Continuing with the criticizable aspects, we have to say that to be in front of a five-meter car, We didn’t think the interior space was that outstanding. And there are also a series of elements, such as an object to hold the mobile phone, as well as the occasional hook on the vehicle, which seemed far from European tastes.

In short, the car ‘looks’ very good… but we will have to wait for the first contact to really get to know it in depth.

What are the key differences between the Xiaomi SU7’s autonomous ‍driving systems and those of its⁤ competitors in the electric vehicle market?

1. What innovative features does the ⁤Xiaomi ⁣SU7 electric vehicle⁤ present ⁢in​ terms of its⁤ charging capabilities and autonomous driving systems?

2. How ​does the battery capacity and ‌power output of⁢ the Xiaomi SU7 ⁤compare to other ⁢electric vehicles in its⁤ class and‍ at what price points?

3. What are the potential challenges facing Xiaomi ​in bringing its electric vehicles to ⁣the European⁣ market,⁢ and how might this affect ⁣pricing and availability?

4. What are⁢ some potential benefits of ‌owning an‍ electric vehicle like the Xiaoi SU7 for ⁤consumers in terms of energy efficiency and long-term cost savings?

5. ​In your opinion, how does the interior design and functionality of the Xiaomi SU7‌ compare to ​other electric vehicles on‍ the market? Are there any unique⁤ or standout features in this regard?

6. Are there any concerns regarding⁢ the‌ durability or reliability ⁢of the ‍Xiaomi SU7 ⁢electric vehicle given that it is a new entrant ​into the automotive market?

7. What role do ⁣you see government regulations and incentives playing ​in the adoption ‍of electric vehicles like the Xiaomi⁤ SU7 in the European market?

8. How ⁣do ‍you envision the future⁤ of electric vehicles in‍ the global market, ‍and what factors ⁣will determine their success‌ or failure?

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