Xiaomi Auto — How a Phone Maker Built the SU7 and YU7
Xiaomi Auto is the electric car division of Xiaomi, the Beijing maker of phones and consumer electronics. Lei Jun announced the project on 30 March 2021 with a plan to invest US$10 billion over ten years. The company was set up in September 2021 and its own plant in Beijing was built for 300,000 cars a year in two phases. The first car, the SU7 saloon, went on sale on 28 March 2024. It was followed by the high-performance SU7 Ultra and in June 2025 by the YU7 SUV, and in 2025 Xiaomi delivered about 411,800 cars.
Key takeaways
- Announced on 30 March 2021 with an initial 10 billion yuan and a planned US$10 billion over ten years; Lei Jun leads the project as CEO.
- Xiaomi Automobile was established on 1 September 2021 and received about 380,000 job applications.
- The SU7, launched on 28 March 2024, has 220 to 495 kW and cost from 215,900 yuan in 2024; China deliveries reached 139,487 in 2024.
- The YU7 SUV, launched on 26 June 2025, took 240,000 locked-in orders within 18 hours.
Xiaomi Auto at a glance
| Fact | Value |
|---|---|
| Parent | Xiaomi (founded 6 April 2010, Beijing) |
| Announced | 30 March 2021 |
| Company established | 1 September 2021 |
| Head | Lei Jun |
| Plant | Beijing Economic and Technological Development Zone |
| Planned capacity | 300,000 cars a year in two phases |
| Models | SU7, SU7 Ultra, YU7, SkyNomad N70 and N90 (2026) |
| Deliveries 2025 | About 411,800 |
Origins: Lei Jun's decision
Lei Jun was born on 16 December 1969 in Xiantao, Hubei, and studied computer science at Wuhan University, graduating in 1991. He joined the software company Kingsoft as an engineer in 1992 and was its chief executive from 1998 to 2007. On 6 April 2010 he founded Xiaomi in Beijing with six partners, among them Lin Bin.
The car project began in a crisis. On 14 January 2021 the US government listed Xiaomi as owned or controlled by the Chinese military, which barred American investment; a court blocked the ban in March 2021, and the designation was removed in May 2021. According to the Xiaomi Auto article, the board then discussed what would happen to "30,000 or 40,000 employees" if the phone business could not continue. On 30 March 2021 Xiaomi announced a wholly owned electric car subsidiary, with an initial 10 billion yuan and a total of US$10 billion planned over ten years from 2021, and with Lei Jun as its chief executive.
Company and plant
Xiaomi Automobile Co., Ltd. was established on 1 September 2021. On 27 November 2021 the Beijing municipal government and Xiaomi agreed to build a plant in the Beijing Economic and Technological Development Zone. It was planned in two phases of 150,000 cars each, with the first car due in 2024. At first Xiaomi built its cars under the production licence of the BAIC Group. In July 2024 it obtained its own licence for independent manufacturing.
The SU7
The SU7 was unveiled on 28 December 2023 and launched in Beijing on 28 March 2024. Xiaomi says "SU" stands for "Speed Ultra". The four-door electric saloon is 4,997 mm long with a 3,000 mm wheelbase. It was designed by a team under the former BMW designer Sawyer Li and benchmarked against the Porsche Taycan and the Tesla Model S. Xiaomi claimed a drag coefficient of 0.195.
The rear-wheel-drive SU7 has 220 kW, a 73.6 kWh battery and a CLTC range of 700 km, and it cost 215,900 yuan in China in 2024. The SU7 Pro has a 94.3 kWh battery for 830 km. The all-wheel-drive SU7 Max produces 495 kW, reaches 100 km/h in 2.78 seconds and costs 299,900 yuan. The base car's 220 kW for 1,980 kg works out at about 111 W per kg; the power-to-weight calculator can compare any other car.
Demand was strong from the start. By the end of 2024 there were about 248,000 locked-in orders, and Xiaomi delivered 139,487 SU7s in China that year. The 200,000th SU7 was delivered on 18 March 2025. On 29 March 2025 an SU7 carrying three college students crashed fatally while in an assisted-driving mode, and the reveal of the YU7 was delayed. The Xiaomi SU7 article covers the versions in detail.
SU7 Ultra and the Nordschleife
The SU7 Ultra uses three motors, two of 425 kW and one of 288 kW, for about 1,138 kW. Its 93.7 kWh battery works at 897 volts and charges at up to 490 kW. Xiaomi claims 0–100 km/h in 1.98 seconds and 350 km/h. With a kerb weight of 2,360 kg it has about 482 W per kg, more than four times the base SU7. Shown on 29 October 2024 at a planned 814,900 yuan, it was launched on 27 February 2025 at 529,900 yuan in China in 2025, and 15,728 were sold in China that year.
The Ultra was timed on the Nürburgring Nordschleife. A prototype on slick tyres lapped it in 6:46.874 on 24 October 2024, and in 6:22.091 on 1 April 2025, the third-fastest certified time. On the same day a production Ultra driven by Vincent Radermecker recorded 7:04.957, a record for a road-legal four-door car and a mass-produced electric car. On 7 May 2026 a modified Porsche Taycan Turbo GT took that record with 6:55.553. On 13 February 2025 the Ultra also set a production-car record of 2:09.944 at the Shanghai International Circuit.
The YU7 and Xiaomi today
The YU7 SUV was revealed on 22 May 2025 at Xiaomi's 15th-anniversary event and launched on 26 June 2025. Within two minutes it received 196,000 pre-order deposits and 128,000 locked-in orders. After 18 hours there were 240,000 non-refundable orders, with waiting times of up to 56 weeks. Prices started at RMB 253,500 in China in 2025. The base YU7 has 235 kW, a 96.3 kWh battery and a CLTC range of 835 km. The YU7 Max has 508 kW and the YU7 GT of May 2026 738 kW.
In 2025 Xiaomi delivered 258,164 SU7s and about 153,000 YU7s, about 411,800 cars in total. The first-generation SU7 ended production in February 2026, and a facelifted SU7 with up to 901 km of CLTC range followed on 19 March 2026. In 2026 the range-extender SkyNomad N70 and N90 SUVs joined the line-up. Xiaomi models are listed in the Xiaomi catalogue, and ranges and battery sizes of other electric cars are in the EV range and battery data.
Xiaomi Auto timeline
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 2010 | Xiaomi founded in Beijing (6 April) |
| 2021 | Car project announced (30 March); company established (1 September); Beijing plant agreed (27 November) |
| 2023 | SU7 unveiled (28 December) |
| 2024 | SU7 launched (28 March); own production licence (July); 139,487 SU7s delivered |
| 2025 | SU7 Ultra launched (27 February); Nürburgring laps (1 April); YU7 launched (26 June) |
| 2026 | Facelifted SU7 (19 March); SkyNomad N70 and N90 |
Landmark Xiaomi Auto models
| Model | Years | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| SU7 | 2024 onwards | First Xiaomi car, 220–495 kW electric saloon |
| SU7 Ultra | 2025 onwards | About 1,138 kW, 7:04.957 at the Nürburgring |
| YU7 | 2025 onwards | First Xiaomi SUV, 240,000 orders in 18 hours |
| SkyNomad N70 / N90 | 2026 onwards | First range-extender models |
Photo gallery
FAQ
When did Xiaomi start making cars?
Xiaomi announced its car project on 30 March 2021 and established Xiaomi Automobile on 1 September 2021. The first car, the SU7, went on sale on 28 March 2024.
Where is the Xiaomi SU7 built?
At Xiaomi's plant in the Beijing Economic and Technological Development Zone, planned for 300,000 cars a year in two phases.
How fast is the Xiaomi SU7 Ultra?
Xiaomi claims 0–100 km/h in 1.98 seconds and a top speed of 350 km/h. A production Ultra lapped the Nürburgring in 7:04.957 in April 2025.
How many orders did the Xiaomi YU7 get?
About 240,000 locked-in orders within 18 hours of its launch on 26 June 2025.
Who runs Xiaomi Auto?
Lei Jun, the founder of Xiaomi, who announced the project in 2021 and leads it as chief executive.
Sources
- Wikipedia — Xiaomi Auto (accessed 24 Oct 2026)
- Wikipedia — Xiaomi SU7 (accessed 24 Oct 2026)
- Wikipedia — Xiaomi YU7 (accessed 24 Oct 2026)
- Wikipedia — Lei Jun (accessed 24 Oct 2026)
- Wikipedia — Xiaomi (accessed 24 Oct 2026)
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