In a sign of strong demand for its first car, Chinese manufacturer Xiaomi is advising buyers of its SU7 electric sedan to wait four to seven months.
The smartphone and other consumer electronics maker began accepting orders on Thursday and said the number of pre-orders reached 88,898 in the first 24 hours.
Delivery of the 215,900 yuan (about $29,870, about Rs 2,489,900) standard model SU7 could take 18 to 21 weeks, according to a Reuters review of the Xiaomi Car app.
The delivery time for SU7 Pro models can take 18 to 21 weeks, while the most expensive model, priced at 299,900 yuan (approximately Rs. 3,458,709), takes between 27 to 30 weeks.
The SU7’s design has drawn comparisons to Porsche’s Taycan and Panamera sports cars, and its launch comes amid intense price competition in the world’s largest car market, where more than 40 brands vie for consumers’ attention.
On Monday, Huawei-backed Aito is offering a discount of up to 20,000 yuan (about Rs 230,000) on its new M7 SUV until the end of April, while Xpeng is offering a subsidy of up to 20,000 yuan on its flagship electric until the end of April -SUV offers at the end of April. The G9 itself will take care of that. Money offered for a limited time only.
Additionally, Chery announced it would offer tax breaks, trade subsidies and cash refunds on some of its best-selling gasoline vehicles.
Although the market is tough for new entrants, analysts say Xiaomi has deeper pockets than many electronics startups and specializes in smartphones with smart dashboards, a feature Chinese consumers value.
As part of the launch campaign, Xiaomi also released two special “Founder’s Edition” versions of the car, which come with free gifts such as a refrigerator. The first 5000 units of this car were sold quickly.
A second round of sales of the Founders Edition has begun, but sales figures were not immediately available.
Bhupendra Singh Chundawat is a seasoned technology journalist with over 22 years of experience in the media industry. He specializes in covering the global technology landscape, with a deep focus on manufacturing trends and the geopolitical impact on tech companies. Currently serving as the Editor at Udaipur Kiran, his insights are shaped by decades of hands-on reporting and editorial leadership in the fast-evolving world of technology.
