Chinese manufacturer of electronics and electric cars
Xiaomi is a company well known in Poland. For many people, the first association is a smartphone and a smartwatch. This would not be surprising, because the company is currently one of the largest global smartphone manufacturers. According to Counterpoint, the Chinese manufacturer had as much as 13% of the global market in the fourth quarter of 2023. In this respect, it was only overtaken by the Korean Samsung and the American Apple.
But can the company soon become a famous manufacturer of electric cars? The history of Xiaomi Automobile, a dedicated company in the Xiaomi group, began in 2021. In March 2021, Reuters confirmed that Xiaomi had decided to enter the industry automotive.
In November 2023, information about the first car spread around the world Xiaomi – SU7 (Speed Ultra 7). The car was to have an electric drive and production was to be carried out by the Chinese concern BAIC Group. Serial production of the car started in December 2023.
What is Xiaomi SU7?
Xiaomi SU7 is a 4-door sedan with rear drive. The manufacturer describes the car as a competitor to the Porsche Taycan in terms of performance and the Tesla Model S in terms of technological advancement. The car can accommodate 5 people.
The car is equipped with a semi-autonomous driving system, a number of radars, cameras and a LiDAR sensor. SU7 accelerates from 0 to 100 in just 5.28 seconds. The vehicle's range is positively surprising, because according to the manufacturer it is as much as 668 km.The car reaches a speed of up to 210 km/h and the engine power is 299 HP.
Xioami SU7 in purple / Xiaomi
The Chinese also boast about the safety of the car, which is supposed to brake from 100 to 0 km/h in a distance of only 35.5 meters. The president of Xiaomi, Lei Jun, boasted that the new car will exceed the Model 3 TEsli in over 90% of specifications.
Xiaomi SU7 car price
What may be surprising is the low price of SU7. The basic version will cost PLN 216,000. yuan, i.e. approx. 120 thousand zlotys. The previously mentioned Tesla Model 3 costs PLN 246,000 in China. yuan. SU7 in the PRO version will cost 249,000, or less than 140,000. zlotys. In turn, the MAX version costs PLN 299,000. yuan (i.e. PLN 165,000). Prices are lower than initially expected.
Xiaomi SU7 in blue / Xiaomi
However, it is worth remembering that the Chinese market is characterized by low car prices, so comparing it to prices in Poland may give shocking conclusions – even new Passats would turn out to be more expensive. Nevertheless, the price of Xiaomi SU7 on the Chinese market is lower than the price of Tesla Model 3 in China, which already proves something.
Price war in China
The appearance of a new, cheap electric car fits perfectly into the ongoing price war on the electric market in China. Tesla was thrown off the pedestal. Its place is taken by China's BYD – the largest manufacturer of electric cars. Elon Musk's company lowered the prices of electric cars in the Middle Kingdom. Prices of BYD electric cars have also dropped.
The price war is not only going on in China. The situation is increasingly worrying European car companies. These put pressure on the EU to limit Chinese expansion in the European automotive market.
Electromobility is a new opening on the automotive market
Xiaomi announces that it intends to invest $10 billion in development over the next 10 years. The recent great interest in the automotive industry means that countries that have not produced cars so far are investing in the development of electromobility. A good example would be the Turks. Besides, you don't have to look far for examples – a Jizera factory is to be built in Poland.
Just a dozen or so years ago, the automotive market was concreted and entry seemed to be a miracle. Technology and know-how closely guarded by the largest giants, as well as developed supply chains, were a huge advantage of the largest car manufacturers in the world.
The development of electric cars changes everything. These vehicles are much easier to produce than combustion vehicles. It is true that the battery is still the biggest problem, but current trends indicate that this will change soon. Electromobility is one of Germany's economic problems. Their companies missed the green revolution and are lagging behind the competition. Will Chinese, and not German, companies dominate on European roads in a dozen or so years?
