Xiaomi’s first electric car already has a six-month waiting list in China
Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi unveiled the production version of its highly anticipated SU7 electric car last week. But just days after the unveiling, the tech giant has reportedly told potential customers that it could take six to seven months for their orders to arrive.
As a reminder, the SU7, produced by state-owned BAIC Group, is the smartphone specialist’s first foray into electric vehicles, with the standard car costing just 215,900 yuan (approximately US$29,900 / £23,663 / AU$46,000 at current exchange rates). It offers a range of 700 kilometers and has an electric drivetrain of just under 300 hp.
That’s no small feat, yet the SU7 Pro, which now reportedly has a lead time of 18-21 weeks, can travel as much as 516 miles on a single charge. There’s also a Max version that has a range of 450 miles, but sees performance increase to 663bhp – enough to put many modern supercars to shame.
however, the BBC reports that potential customers will have to wait up to 27 weeks for the most powerful models, according to screenshots taken by punters and posted on Chinese social media.
Being seen that Xiaomi wants at least Xiaomi’s debut car, it seems to be the most popular social trend in the domestic market Bloomberg suggests that social media users made deposits, posted their receipts online, and then withdrew those deposits once the admiration of fellow users had subsided.
However, Car shoveling claims some of those wanting to get their 5,000 yuan (about $690 / £550 / AU$1,100) deposits back have had difficulty, with Xiaomi claiming this is due to user error and not anything malicious on the company’s part .
Eliminate the competition
While early signs look good for Xiaomi’s first electric car, it still has a long way to go and the current electric vehicle market in China is highly competitive.
BYD, which is hailed as the country’s largest electric vehicle maker, has been busy launching new models and cutting prices on its existing offerings, citing that growth had slowed late last year.
Moreover, Tesla also offers its popular Model 3 in the country, where it costs 245,900 yuan for entry-level versions. The Xioami SU7 sedan undercuts this by about 30,000 yuan, which is about $4,145 / £3,300 / AU$6,500.
As an added incentive, Xiaomi also released 5,000 Founder’s Edition models, which reportedly came with free gifts such as refrigerators. These sold out immediately.
The tech giant’s CEO, Lei Jun said in a Weibo post that it would open a second round of sales for the Founder’s Edition due to huge demand.
Xiaomi clearly has the finances to fund what could be a fierce price war in the country, while many industry insiders believe its expertise in smartphones and laptops – something it has introduced in the car – is a offers a huge advantage, as infotainment is often at stake. at the top of the Chinese buyer’s wish list.
With Apple abandoning its plans to produce an electric vehicle, the Xiaomi SU7 is the first real look at what a consumer tech giant can bring to the automotive world. And traditional auto giants like Ford, Nissan and Honda will have to find ways to fight back.