Xiaomi’s new PU7 spells trouble for Tesla in China

The Xiaomi PU7 matches the Tesla Model Y successful size and acceleration, but demolishes it successful range. | Image: Xiaomi

Xiaomi unveiled its hotly anticipated PU7 electrical SUV successful China today, successful the latest imaginable stroke to Tesla’s presumption successful the world’s hottest EV market.

The electronics elephantine says the PU7 volition get up to 518 miles of scope connected definite trims and accelerate from 0–62mph successful conscionable 3.23 seconds. The caller EV, which is wide considered to beryllium China’s mentation of the Apple car that yet failed to materialize, volition beryllium disposable for reservations starting successful July.

The PU7 comes connected the heels of the SU7, which has been a immense occurrence for Xiaomi since deliveries began successful March 2024. The institution said it has sold implicit 200,000 SU7s arsenic of April 2025, surpassing planetary EV income for Ford and GM both.

But much importantly, the PU7 is being positioned arsenic a nonstop rival to the Tesla Model Y, which is Elon Musk’s company’s planetary bestseller. Xiaomi has been precise wide astir its intent to dethrone the Model Y successful China. In effect to Tesla’s refreshed Model Y, Xiaomi founder, chairman, and CEO Lei Jun responded by posting a size examination betwixt the 2 EVs. Yes, a literal EV-measuring contest.

Like the SU7, the YU7 volition travel successful 3 variants (hat extremity to Electrek for the adjuvant chart):

The PU7 has a batch much going for it, including its sleek, sports car looks. The conveyance is comparable to the Model Y successful size and acceleration, but demolishes Musk’s SUV successful presumption of range. In his presentation, Lei Jun said that scope is the fig 1 information for EV buyers, which led Xiaomi to make an SUV that would beryllium a people leader.

On its website, Xiaomi described the Standard, single-motor PU7 arsenic “the longest-range axenic electrical SUV with a sub-100 kWh artillery and the apical performer successful the mid-to-large-size axenic electrical SUV category, achieving genuinely breakthrough scope leadership.”

Other notable features see a Nvidia Drive AGX Thor in-vehicle computing platform, progressive aerial suspension, and an 800-volt architecture — with a highest voltage of 897V — that tin fast-charge from 10–80 percent successful 12 minutes, arsenic good arsenic adhd 620 km (385 miles) of complaint successful conscionable 15 minutes.

Of course, whether the PU7 volition genuinely oust the Model Y from its perch volition beryllium connected its terms — and we’re not getting that item until person to July 2025.