Xiaomi SU7 buyers face 7 months waiting time

It may be April Fools' Day today, but Xiaomi SU7's buyers have little to laugh about. Xiaomi's first foray into electric vehicles is turning out to be a major success, but obviously manufacturing struggles to catch up with demand. The overwhelming early orders pushed delivery wait times to between three and seven months—that's mid-October for the high-end SU7 Max.

While longer-than-ideal wait times are frustrating, it's hard to fault Xiaomi. The company's EV division is still in its infancy, and scaling up production for such a complex product takes time. Still, impatient consumers might need to turn to readily available rivals in China's hyper-competitive EV market, putting pressure on Xiaomi to ramp up its capability as quickly as possible.

So, what makes the SU7 so desirable? Besides its eye-catching design and attractive specifications, the pricing is a big draw. The standard model starts at a very reasonable RMB 215,900 (around $29,900). This undercuts many established rivals while still promising an enticing range of features. The higher-spec Pro and Max versions offer even more performance and luxury, creating a compelling lineup.

While production plays catch-up, Xiaomi is doing its best to maintain interest. The company has been aggressively expanding its showroom network across China. In total, 59 showrooms have been teeming with potential customers vying for a closer look at the SU7 in person. By the end of this year, Xiaomi plans to have 211 showrooms open across China.

Xiaomi's Beijing-based EV factory is the heart of this operation. Its goal is an annual capacity of 300,000 vehicles, built in two phases with a starting capacity of 150,000. Currently, the factory can churn out 40 SU7s an hour, meaning a new car rolls off the line every 76 seconds! Reports suggest Xiaomi hopes to reach phase 1 production capacity by mid-2024, a target that could see waiting times shortened significantly.

Until then, the Xiaomi SU7 remains a tempting yet elusive prize for many EV enthusiasts. The long wait times will undoubtedly test the patience of even the most dedicated Xiaomi fans. The question is whether the SU7's style, tech, and price combination will ultimately prove worth the wait.

Via