Xiaomi YU7 is a mid-to-large SUV with dimensions of 4,999 mm (L) × 1,996 mm (W) × 1,600 mm (H) and a 3,000 mm wheelbase. Credit: Xiaomi
Xiaomi on Thursday revealed its second electric vehicle model, the YU7, considered by many to be the most anticipated car of 2025 and a major rival to Tesla’s Model Y. The SUV features a shape reminiscent of the Ferrari Purosangue, the brand’s first four-door vehicle. The YU7, a name derived from the Chinese term “御风而行,” which symbolizes “riding the wind,” features a long front end measuring 0.68 meter — unusual for a sport utility vehicle — and a large, single-piece, front-hinged clamshell hood.
Xiaomi also introduced several new paint finishes, including a new color called “emerald green.” Hours before Xiaomi’s press conference, Ferrari China posted images on the Chinese microblogging platform Weibo, noting that Piero Ferrari — son of company founder Enzo Ferrari — had chosen the color tone of Dora Green for his personalized Purosangue.
With an expected sticker price of 250,000 yuan (about $34,775), close to the starting price of the Tesla Model Y in China, the single-motor, standard version of the YU7 offers a driving range of 835 kilometers (519 miles), compared with the Model Y’s 590 kilometers. The high-end YU7 can accelerate from 0 to 100 kph (62 mph) in 3.2 seconds, ahead of the Model Y Performance’s 3.7 seconds. Xiaomi, a Chinese consumer electronics giant turned automaker, delivered more than 258,000 SU7 electric sedans in just 14 months following their launch. Sales of the YU7 are set to begin in July, according to CEO Lei Jun.
Lei said the company’s first electric SUV will feature lidar sensors as standard equipment, using laser light to detect its surroundings. It will also include Nvidia’s next-generation autonomous driving processor, Thor, to enhance driver-assistance capabilities. The announcement comes after an accident in late March involving a standard-version Xiaomi SU7 in which three female university students were killed, sparking renewed criticism over the safety of electric vehicles in China.
READ MORE: Xiaomi shares at all-time high on new details of second EV
Jill Shen is Shanghai-based technology reporter. She covers Chinese mobility, autonomous vehicles, and electric cars. Connect with her via e-mail: [email protected] or Twitter: @jill_shen_sh
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