New Xiaomi SU7 leaked photos show the design more clearly

The closer to the launch date we get, the bigger waves Xiaomi SU7 is making. Newly leaked promo photos show the EV flaunting an azure blue exterior and a peculiar camera on the B-pillar, possibly for facial recognition. Whoever spilled the beans might be paying a hefty fine for breaking the Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) - the alleged fine stands at $420.000.

The sleek sedan boasts a 101 kWh battery for a claimed 497 miles CLTC range and a dual-motor 495 kW drivetrain in its top trim. Xiaomi, notorious for its smartphones, has been developing its first EV for three years now and aims to have in on the road in the first half of 2024.

"I came into car building to win," Lei Jun, Xiaomi's CEO, declared in a recent interview, emphasizing the company's commitment with over 3,400 engineers and a whopping 10 billion yuan ($1.4 billion) investment in R&D. That’s a bold statement and, at least on paper, the SU7 may have a couple of aces up its sleek sleeves.

The SU7, positioned as a more affordable rival to the Porsche Taycan and Tesla Model S, is a tad longer than the Taycan, measuring 196.7 inches/77.3 inches/}}1,455 mm}} (L/W/H), with a 118 inches wheelbase. It will offer two powertrain options, RWD with a 220 kW motor and AWD with a punchy 495 kW output.

There will be two batteries to pick from as well - 73.6 kWh LFP battery from BYD or a 101 kWh ternary NMC pack by CATL. The former provides a decent 415 miles CLTC range, while the latter pushes it to an impressive 497 miles. These specs were disclosed by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) during Xiaomi's market homologation process.

The SU7 is built at the BAIC Off-road Vehicle Co. factory in Beijing, already undergoing trial production with test vehicles hitting the road. Performance tests at Zhejiang International Circuit in early December suggest Xiaomi is serious about making a mark in the EV domain.

No official price tag has been announced, but CarNewsChina speculates the SU7 will start at just RMB 190,000 ($26,650 at current exchange rates), which is almost too good to be true. The top trim might still be under RMB 300,000 ($42,000), which is still the cheapest you can find a battery of that size, let alone one coupled to such a capable dual motor setup.

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