Tesla killer? Xiaomi's first EV launched at price less than Model 3

Chinese smartphone giant Xiaomi has launched its firs ever electric car SU7. The tech giant announced the price of the EV while revealing all details at an event held today (March 28). Touted to take on Tesla and BYD at their own game, the Xiaomi SU7 promises exhilarating performance, a cabin packed with advanced features and priced competitively to take on some of the biggest names in the global EV industry.

Xiaomi has launched the SU7 electric car at a starting price of 215,900 yuan (roughly converted to ₹24.90 lakh) which is less than the price of Tesla Model 3 in China. The EV maker has said it will start deliveries of the SU7 to its customers from this month. The EV is already showcased at several showrooms in China, attracting potential buyers. The tech giant had publicly showcased the SU7 - short for ‘Speed Ultra’ - for the first time at the Mobile World Congress held earlier this year.

Xiaomi SU7: Variants, specifications

Xiaomi has introduced the SU7 EV in four variants. These include an entry-level version, a Pro variant, a Max version as well as a limited Founders Edition. The SU7 is a four-door electric sedan which stands 4,997 mm in length, 1,963 mm in width and up to 1,455 mm in height. The EV comes with a wheelbase of 3,000 mm and is equipped with 19-inch Michelin alloy wheels as standard across variants.

Xiaomi SU7's performance can match even the best

Xiaomi boasted of SU7 EV's performance at the launch event with some eye-popping numbers. The top-end Max version of the EV can notch up a top speed of 265 kmph, can sprint from 0-100 kmph in just 2.78 seconds and offer range of up to 810 kms on a single charge. The combined performance credentials are rare even in some of the most expensive electric cars. And if these numbers are not enough to make your jaw drop, the limited Founders Edition with dual-motor, four-wheel-drive powertrain can offer nearly 986 bhp of power and 0-100 kmph sprint in just 1.98 seconds.

Xiaomi SU7: Battery, charging

Xiaomi will equip the EV with two sizes of battery sourced from CATL. The entry-level variants get a 73.6 kWh battery pack. The top-of-the-line variant gets a larger 101 kWh battery pack. According to the tech giant, the batteries will offer at least 700 kms of range on a single charge. The EV maker is also expected to launch a larger 150 kWh battery pack next year which promises to offer 1,200 km range.

The EV can support ultra fast charging. Xiaomi claims its 486V architecture can allow the EV to recharge enough to run 350 kms with just 15 minutes of charging. It also offers a bigger 871V architecture which can help the EV to recharge enough to run 510 kms within the same duration of charging.