Chinese company Xiaomi has announced the acceleration of the launch of its second electric car, the YU7 crossover, which is considered a competitor to the Tesla Model Y. Instead of the planned July, sales of the model will begin at the end of June. This was announced by the founder and CEO of the company Lei Jun on the social network Weibo, citing high demand, writes the South China Morning Post.
The YU7 will be Xiaomi's second car after the SU7 sedan, which debuted in March 2024 and became an instant hit, with over 70,000 orders placed in the first month. According to company president Lu Weibin, the number of inquiries for the YU7 has already surpassed the previous record set by the SU7. Production of the new model is being actively scaled up.
The YU7 is expected to be more expensive than the Tesla Model Y, which starts at 263,500 yuan ($36,700) in China. But the company has not yet revealed an exact price or delivery date.
The launch of the YU7 comes amid a crisis of confidence following a fatal accident involving the SU7 in March. In Anhui province, a car with the driver assistance system turned on crashed into a concrete barrier at a speed of 116 km/h, killing three people. The system managed to warn the driver just two seconds before the collision. After that, Chinese authorities summoned representatives of 60 companies and called for a responsible approach to advertising and use of autonomous technologies.
Despite the scandal, Xiaomi continues to grow. In May, the company delivered 28,000 cars, double the number a year earlier. In the first quarter of 2025, the electric car division brought in 18.1 billion yuan in revenue, although the company recorded a net loss of 500 million yuan due to investments in new areas. Xiaomi shares are recovering from a March drop, having risen almost 50% since April.