Electric SUV That Ferrari Should Have Made: Xiaomi YU7
Image Credit: Xiaomi.
I'm not a big fan of SUVs. I never was. They were always huge, awkward, rough around the edges, and outright ugly - yes, BMW iX, I am talking about you. But then Ferrari jumped on the bandwagon and created the Purosangue, which made me sit up and pay attention. My only wish was that they made it electric. But, this being Ferrari, the only thing that happens quickly is depreciation.
It seems Xiaomi was listening to my prayers and decided that for Christmas 2024, all the world needed was a sexy electric SUV. Yes, Xiaomi, the company that once just made phones that burst into flames. The same company that just unveiled its SU7 Ultra sedan that smashed Nurburgring records with the same ease I smash donuts and cappuccino. Say hello to the Xiaomi YU7, an electric SUV that looks like it could give Tesla a run for its money. Tesla, and everybody else.
Image Credit: Xiaomi.
The Xiaomi YU7 is a one good-looking sun-of-a-gun. Seriously - look at this thing. Sure, there's a lot of influence from the Ferrari Purosangue, but I'd go as far as to say the Xiaomi looks miles better. I know I'm risking the wrath of the Internet, but put the two cars next to each other, take the badges off, and ask people which one they'd prefer. I bet my lunch money that Xiaomi would walk all over Ferrari.
A very important detail for many EV buyers - the YU7 comes with 681 horsepower in the base model. That's more than enough to get you to the grocery store in record time, even if you've got a trunk full of screaming toddlers and a flat tire. It also has a top speed of 157 mph, which is probably faster than you should be going in an SUV anyway. But it's nice to have the option. And a friendly lawyer on speed dial.
The YU7 is a pretty big boy, too. It's about 16.4 feet long, 6.5 feet wide, and 5.2 feet tall. That's bigger than a Tesla Model Y, and it's got a longer wheelbase too, which means more legroom for all you tall folks out there. And speaking of the Model Y, the YU7 is expected to be priced similarly, somewhere between $34,000 and $48,000 in China.
Unfortunately, you can't get your hands on one just yet, it isn't actually coming out until June or July of 2025. I know, I know, it's a long time to wait. Maybe by then, they'll have figured out how to make the battery last a wee bit longer.
Image Credit: MIIT.
Speaking of the battery, Xiaomi hasn't actually revealed the capacity yet. But we don't need to look too far away to have a good guess - the SU7 AWD version has a 101 kWh pack which is perfect for the YU7. And since the two share a lot of components - like the twin-motor powertrain - there's no reason they wouldn't share the battery. The SU7 claims 497 miles of range with this battery, but that's on the highly-optimistic CLTC standard. In real life, it'll be closer to 350 miles, which is still decent.
So, what else do we know about this mysterious SUV? Well, it uses the same twin-motor setup as the SU7 AWD. That means it's all-wheel drive, which is great for those of us who live in places where it actually snows. It also means it's got some serious acceleration. Xiaomi hasn't released the official 0-60 time yet, but I'm guessing it's somewhere in the neighborhood of 3 seconds since the lighter SU7 deals with the same sprint in 2.8 seconds. The 715-horsepower Purosangue does it in 3.3 seconds, and I'm absolutely sure the SU7 won't be slower. Will it be quicker, though?
Image Credit: Xiaomi.
I'm actually excited about the Xiaomi YU7. It looks like it could be a serious contender in the electric SUV market as long as it doesn't, you know, explode. But seriously, though. It looks good, it has the performance, and it has a killer price. Xiaomi is doing with electric cars exactly what it did with its phones - they give people good quality stuff and don't try to rob them.
I can't believe what I'm about to say - I like an SUV. And I heard Xiaomi is seriously considering bringing an Ultra version to the market. Now, who in their right mind would want a 1,548-horsepower SUV as their daily driver? Wait… that would be me and thousands of others who can't justify spending $400,000 on the Ferrari Purosangue.
