As Xiaomi's first masterpiece in the automotive industry, can the Xiaomi SU7 achieve a "strong debut"?
As the new energy vehicle sector engages in a "price war", Xiaomi's entry into the scene has stirred up the entire automotive industry.
After three years of preparation, Lei Jun's final entrepreneurial endeavor is finally coming to fruition! Tonight at 7 p.m., the highly anticipated Xiaomi car SU7 will be officially unveiled in Beijing, with the most anticipated aspect being the price reveal.
Looking back over the past three months, whether it's the design resembling Taycan, the loud slogan of "self-developed", or the "light show" paying tribute to peers, all have captured the public's attention. The intense discussions sparked by the price suspense have further fueled the buzz surrounding the Xiaomi SU7.
Lei Jun has promised that Xiaomi cars will be "delivered as soon as they go public, and volume production will start upon delivery", setting the goal of becoming one of the top five global luxury electric car manufacturers within 15 to 20 years.
However, as a newcomer in the new energy vehicle industry, Xiaomi cars are born into fierce market competition, surrounded by strong competitors such as Tesla Model 3 and ZEEKR 001.
Will the Xiaomi SU7 become a fierce "shark" shaking up the market, or will it be "fish meat" in the price war?
Countdown to the Release Event: Mi Fans Excited, He Xiaopeng Attends
BYD, Great Wall Motors, Li Auto, XPeng, and many other new energy vehicle companies have posted on their official accounts welcoming Xiaomi's entry. In response, Xiaomi Chairman Lei Jun said, "Thank you, thank you!"
Mi Fans are ecstatic, and the pricing of the Xiaomi SU7 has sparked discussions;
He Xiaopeng rushed to the launch event and mentioned Lei Jun in a Weibo post, saying "You guys are going to sell this car cheap, that's not right".
CEO of BlueCar, Deng Chenghao, also posted that he will attend the Xiaomi SU7 launch event and has already arrived at Beijing Capital Airport Terminal 2.
Wuling, Great Wall, and other brands have also sent their congratulations.
The Biggest Suspense: Pricing
Pricing has been the biggest suspense surrounding Xiaomi cars since their debut, sparking discussions among netizens.
A leaked image from the event shows that the Xiaomi SU7 is priced at 23.98-32.98 yuan
Some netizens used the quantity and pricing of jackets bought from Xiaomi to speculate on the price of the car, with the highest configuration at 328,000 RMB and the lowest at 219,000 RMB.
Previously, there was a leaked research document online about Xiaomi's car, indicating that the Xiaomi SU7 was priced around 200,000 RMB, but it was later denied by Xiaomi.
No new car has caused as much discussion about pricing as the Xiaomi SU7.
From a series of hardware perspectives, it is generally believed in the industry that the overall price of Xiaomi cars is estimated to be between 200,000 RMB and 300,000 RMB.
Lei Jun responded to the pricing of Xiaomi cars, stating, "Cars equipped with the same battery pack, the average price is over 400,000 RMB. It is impossible to sell at 99,000 RMB, and those who say 149,000 RMB should stop."
The goal of the Xiaomi SU7 is to be the best-looking, best-driving, and most intelligent sedan under 500,000 RMB.
Some analysts believe that if the starting price is 190,000 RMB, it will sell out immediately; at 210,000 RMB, it can still compete; at 230,000 RMB, the future looks promising; at 250,000 RMB, it will compete with Nio.
Preheated to Full Heat
Since the start of the technical conference, discussions about Xiaomi cars have been ongoing, with high market expectations and significant controversies.
The day before the technical conference, Xiaomi paid tribute to Huawei, Xiaopeng, and five other car companies in multiple cities through light shows, and they all responded, igniting public expectations for Xiaomi.
On December 28, 2023, at the technical conference, the Xiaomi SU7 made a grand appearance, resembling the Porsche Taycan, and was jokingly referred to as "Porsche Xiaomi" by the public.
Even the news of "Apple canceling car production" brought Xiaomi's car project into the limelight.
After the announcement of the SU7 static appreciation at Xiaomi stores, the number of daily appointments for test drives exceeded 100,000.
"Marketing guru" Lei Jun also frequently appeared to build up momentum for the official release of the Xiaomi SU7, even staying up all night the night before the release...
With huge traffic, high topic relevance, and enthusiastic Mi Fans, Xiaomi's entry into the automotive industry has already sparked widespread discussions and news coverage.
Parameter Configuration and User Experience Overview
Details about the Xiaomi SU7 product, configuration, technology, etc., have been gradually revealed in recent months, with driving experiences also being shared.
According to official information, in terms of integrated die-casting technology, Xiaomi independently developed a 9100-ton large die-casting cluster, surpassing Tesla's US factory's 9000 tons.
In terms of battery and endurance, the Xiaomi SU7 is equipped with a 101kWh CATL Kirin battery, with ternary lithium battery cells.
The Xiaomi SU7 achieves a 0-100 km/h acceleration in 2.78 seconds, with a standard range of 700 kilometers (exceeding the Model 3 long-range version); the Xiaomi SU7 Max reaches 800 kilometers, becoming the only electric vehicle in China to achieve both 2-second acceleration and an 800-kilometer range.
In the words of Lei Jun, the performance of the Xiaomi SU7 can match that of luxury cars costing at least two to three million RMB.
In terms of user experience, media reviews have described it as "steady, experienced, comfortable, resilient, with precise feedback, etc."
Engaging in Price Wars: "Shark" or "Fish Meat"?
Since early 2024, the price war in the new energy vehicle sector has remained intense, with pressure mounting on Xiaomi, as shown in the image below.
In a competitive environment with strong rivals in a similar price range, analysts point out that ZEEKR 001, ZEEKR 007, BYD Han, XPeng P7, and Huawei's Aito S7 are all considered major competitors to the Xiaomi SU7.
Some analysts suggest that the high and low versions of the Xiaomi SU7 are mainly benchmarked against Tesla Model 3 and ZEEKR 001, with similar configurations and prices across the board.
Ultimately, whether the Xiaomi SU series will become a "shark" changing the traditional competitive landscape of the automotive market or end up as "fish meat" in the price war will depend on consumer acceptance.
Furthermore, with the official launch of Xiaomi's automotive division approaching, stocks related to the Xiaomi automotive industry chain have shown unusually high activity in recent days.
According to a research report by Sinolink Securities, Xiaomi's automotive division has inherent traffic, with over 20 listed companies having expressed intentions to cooperate with Xiaomi's automotive business since its announcement of entering the industry. Leveraging Xiaomi's advantages in intelligence, ecosystem synergy, fan effects, and channels, Xiaomi's vehicle deliveries are expected to gradually increase, benefiting related component suppliers, making investment opportunities in the Xiaomi automotive industry chain worth considering