This Xiaomi car is selling like hotcakes! And no wonder, it offers fantastic features at an unprecedented price

The Chinese tech giant Xiaomi officially launched sales of its first electric SUV, designated YU7, a few days ago and immediately ran into an unexpected problem – enormous customer interest. Within just three minutes of opening pre-orders, the company recorded over 200,000 reservations, 120,000 of which were backed by non-refundable deposits. After 18 hours, the number of binding orders climbed to a staggering 240,000 units.

Good things come to those who wait… for a year

The massive interest in the new electric car has caused delivery times to extend to levels we are more familiar with from the pandemic era. According to official information from Xiaomi’s website, customers interested in the basic YU7 model must expect a waiting time of 56-59 weeks. For the mid-range YU7 Pro variant, it’s slightly better – 50-53 weeks. The top-tier YU7 Max version will reach its new owners the fastest, in 37-40 weeks.

While the basic YU7 model, priced at 253,800 yuan (approximately 746,000 CZK), attracts the most interest, the more expensive Pro (279,900 yuan / 823,000 CZK) and Max (329,900 yuan / 970,000 CZK) variants paradoxically have shorter waiting times. This suggests that a significant portion of customers prefer the more affordable version.

Brick-and-mortar stores and their success

Interesting data was provided by Chinese automotive analyst with the nickname @孙少军09, who has over 1.24 million followers on the social network Weibo. According to his analysis, 351 Xiaomi brick-and-mortar stores recorded between 280,800 and 315,900 binding orders within the first 72 hours of the YU7’s market launch. On average, each store secured 800 to 900 orders, with the conversion rate of visitors to actual customers reaching an impressive 75-80%.

Xiaomi used the same strategy for selling electric cars as it does for its smartphones – an extensive network of brick-and-mortar stores where customers can not only view the product but also get detailed information. Employees are trained not only in technical specifications but also in explaining the role of the YU7 within the entire Xiaomi „Human-Car-Home“ ecosystem.

Who buys an electric car from a phone manufacturer?

According to the analyst’s findings, the typical customer is a young urban resident – 55% of buyers are men aged 22 to 35. Approximately 60-70% of customers are switching from an existing vehicle, while 5-7% reportedly changed their original reservation for the Xiaomi SU7 sedan in favor of the new SUV model.

Regarding the popularity of individual variants, 55% of customers chose the basic YU7 model, 25% prefer the mid-range Pro variant, and the remaining 20% opted for the top-tier Max version. Interestingly, customers on average spend an additional 15,000 to 20,000 yuan (approximately 44,000 to 58,000 CZK) on optional equipment and accessories.

Production can’t keep up, Xiaomi increases capacity

To manage the enormous demand, Xiaomi must significantly increase production capacity. The company declares that it plans to produce up to 350,000 electric cars in 2025, which is still far from sufficient to cover the current interest. Production takes place in two plants designated F1 and F2, but their current capacity is insufficient.

To facilitate the financing of its electric cars, Xiaomi offers flexible installment plans ranging from 12 to 60 months, with down payments between 15% and 85% of the total car price. This flexibility in payment terms likely also contributed to the enormous customer interest.

Although Xiaomi initially focused primarily on the Chinese market, there is talk in the corridors that electric cars from this brand could appear in Europe next year. However, given the current trade tensions between the EU and China and the introduction of tariffs on Chinese electric cars, this will not be a simple process.

An electric car that impressed with its parameters

It’s no wonder that the YU7 generated such interest. It is a medium to large SUV with a length of 4,999 mm and a wheelbase of 3,000 mm, offering a range of up to 835 kilometers (according to the Chinese CLTC methodology). The top-tier YU7 Max AWD version boasts a combined output of 508 kW (approximately 680 horsepower) and 866 Nm of torque, which is enough to accelerate from zero to a hundred in just 3.23 seconds.

This Xiaomi car is selling like hotcakes! And no wonder, it offers fantastic features at an unprecedented price Jakub Kárník Zprávičky Jakub Kárník Zprávičky

Xiaomi opted for an 800V high-voltage platform, which allows for extremely fast charging – in just 15 minutes, it can „refuel“ enough energy for 620 kilometers of driving. The interior offers three interconnected Mini LED displays with a total width of 1.1 meters, forming a continuous surface across the entire width of the cockpit.

Would you buy an electric car from Xiaomi?

Source: XiaomiEV (1, 2), Notebookcheck