Xiaomi to show its SU7 EV, no launch date yet
NEW DELHI: Is Chinese electronics giant Xiaomi eyeing India for electric cars, following the tracks of compatriots BYD and MG Motor (unit of SAIC)? The company – which is betting $10 billion for a foray into autos globally – has quietly got its newly-unveiled electric car (SU7) to India and will be displaying it in Bengaluru to its partners, employees and general public.
While some say this could be a precursor to Xiaomi trying to test waters in the Indian car market, others say it may be “too early” for the company to look at India as one of the early markets for the vehicle, whose deliveries began in China in March.
When contacted, the company said it has “no plans” to launch the car immediately, even though it continues to “evaluate market opportunities”. “While we continuously monitor market opportunities, our focus remains on our core product lines for India,” a company spokesperson said.
However, the company is excited about the car, which witnessed a flying start in China. The model SU7 (Speed Ultra) is a pet project of Xiaomi CEO Lei Jun and carries a price under $30,000 (around Rs 25 lakh) for the base model, which is nearly $4,000 (Rs 3.3 lakh) cheaper than the base model of Tesla’s Model 3 in China.
The SU7 will come in two versions – one with a driving range of up to 668 km with a single charge and another with a range of up to 800 km.
The display car was imported to India a few weeks back, and company executives are excited to showcase it at Bangalore as Xiaomi celebrates a decade of its business in the country. “The idea is to showcase the strength of Xiaomi as a brand and show its diversified product portfolio, beyond smartphones which currently is its biggest consumer product,” a source told TOI. “The car will be on display and the company plans to showcase a number of household appliances and even announce its entry into newer categories,” the source added.
While some say this could be a precursor to Xiaomi trying to test waters in the Indian car market, others say it may be “too early” for the company to look at India as one of the early markets for the vehicle, whose deliveries began in China in March.
When contacted, the company said it has “no plans” to launch the car immediately, even though it continues to “evaluate market opportunities”. “While we continuously monitor market opportunities, our focus remains on our core product lines for India,” a company spokesperson said.
However, the company is excited about the car, which witnessed a flying start in China. The model SU7 (Speed Ultra) is a pet project of Xiaomi CEO Lei Jun and carries a price under $30,000 (around Rs 25 lakh) for the base model, which is nearly $4,000 (Rs 3.3 lakh) cheaper than the base model of Tesla’s Model 3 in China.
The SU7 will come in two versions – one with a driving range of up to 668 km with a single charge and another with a range of up to 800 km.
The display car was imported to India a few weeks back, and company executives are excited to showcase it at Bangalore as Xiaomi celebrates a decade of its business in the country. “The idea is to showcase the strength of Xiaomi as a brand and show its diversified product portfolio, beyond smartphones which currently is its biggest consumer product,” a source told TOI. “The car will be on display and the company plans to showcase a number of household appliances and even announce its entry into newer categories,” the source added.
