Introduction – Tech On Wheels
What happens when a tech company tries to venture into the car business? Remember how Apple ambitiously announced that they were foraying into the electric mobility business but after a few years of this announcement, the idea of an Apple-made electric car was shelved and the tech giant stopped pursuing the plan? That said, in 2021, Xiaomi’s China office, which happens to be their headquarters, brewed a plan – a plan of working on an EV for the mass market. In no time, the idea picked up pace and execution was on the move. And now, in just four years of this thought, we have a market-ready, in fact, already on-sale all-electric car, the Xiaomi SU7, by a smartphone company that was just making smartphones, tablets, home appliances, and fancy lights.
The SU7 is a tech-fest on wheels. It is a four-door electric sedan with mind-blowing performance matched with all the tech a brand can bundle into a single product. The SU7 is currently on sale exclusively in China and at the time of writing this article, the all-electric supercar has already gathered over 80,000 bookings in China.
Design – Inspired Yet Fresh
The SU7 is a looker from every angle yet not completely new when it comes to design. It feels inspired and there’s nothing wrong with it. There’s this low-slung stance, which resembles that of the Porsche’s identity. The fascia is sleek with a dipping nose for maximum aero efficiency. Then, there are very minimal cuts and creases and overall has a teardrop and curvy approach, which helps in achieving a drag coefficient of just 0.195.
Talking about design, there are some elements that really stand out. For instance, the fancy-looking bezel-less ORVMs, flush-fitting door handles with a soft-close function for all doors, and an active rear spoiler with three different settings.
Moreover, the SU7 Max gets 21-inch multi-spoke alloy wheels with Brembo brake callipers, adaptive ride control or air suspension, and high-performance LED headlamps. Also, the rear section has something unique to flex. The LED taillamps carry the design of Saturn's rings which is just an added touch to the opulent design of the SU7.
There’s one element of the design that could have been better – the LiDAR sensor that sits on the roof. It is not retractable and looks intrusive and out of place. Also, along with the 517 litres of boot space, the SU7 gets a frunk of 105-litre capacity.
The Xiaomi SU7 is based on a skateboard design platform with a chassis that has been developed in-house with efficiency, rigidity, and performance in highest consideration. Xiaomi calls it a ‘Smart Chassis’ with a Bosch stability control system with a DPB brake controller, variable damping shock absorber, aluminium double-wishbone front suspension, and five-link independent rear suspension. Moreover, the brand has managed to keep the weight distribution in check with a 50:50 ratio, which further helps in a low centre of gravity.
Interior – Features Beyond Feature-list
Now, coming to what we expect the tech company to do the best with, is the interior. We will get to the tech part later. But first, talking about the cabin, the overall space inside has been managed pretty well. The floor is not that raised thanks to the brilliant platform and battery pack that doesn’t sit on the floor, so the space at the back is decent with comfortable leg room and thigh support. However, due to the sloping roofline and a glass roof that stretches beyond the rear seats, the headspace is tight, at least for a person of my height and build. The seats are rather comfortable with ventilation function for all four seats.
At the rear, there’s a 50W fast wireless charger, space to keep your phone, fridge, and two points on the back of each front seat to mount tablets for rear seat entertainment. The Xiaomi tablets, once connected at the back, will run the same UI as the main infotainment screen, which then allows the rear passenger to control all the functions of the car. This brings us to the tech on board.
The Xiaomi SU7 gets a large 16.1-inch infotainment screen as the centrepiece on the dashboard. This display runs on the brand’s ‘Hyper OS’ which is the software one would find in the majority of the smartphones, gadgets, and home appliances made by the Chinese company. More so, over 1,000 Xiaomi products can be connected with the SU7 with access to a wide ecosystem.
Moreover, the SU7 is a part of the brand's “Human x Car x Home” philosophy, which reflects Xiaomi's commitment to user-centric innovation. This innovation is aimed to seamlessly connect people, cars, and homes and create unparalleled end-to-end interconnectivity, transforming futuristic concepts into tangible realities.
This infotainment screen displays every function and even the aircon panel can be controlled through this, including the direction of the airflow. Moreover, there are plenty of accessories, which can be attached to the screen. For instance, modular-style buttons, small circular displays on top of the infotainment, and more.
Then, the instrument panel is of seven inches and has a cool rotatable function when the car boots up. However, the biggest highlight is the 56-inch HUD display, which projects most of the information, including the range, turn-by-turn navigation, power output, speedometer, and more.
Coming to the feature list, the Xiaomi SU7, in the top-spec Max guise comes loaded with 25 speakers, multiple wireless chargers, three-zone climate control, ambient lighting, heated steering wheel, powered front seats, fixed glass roof, LiDAR-based ADAS system, 360-degree surround camera with 11 cameras, rear AC vents, Type-C charging ports, and 16 drive assist features with seven airbags.
Specifications – Go Fast And Far
The Xiaomi SU7 is currently being offered in three variants, namely, Standard, Pro, and Max in China. The former two get a single motor setup with an output of 295bhp and 400Nm of torque. Meanwhile, the one that was showcased in India, the Max version, gets a dual-motor setup that is rated to generate 670bhp and 838Nm of peak torque. In this state of tune, the SU7 Max can sprint from zero to 100kmph in just 2.78 seconds with an electronically limited top speed of 265kmph.
As for the driving range, the top-spec Max variants get a 101kWh battery pack with a claimed driving range of 810km on a single charge. Moreover, using the supported fast charger, the electric sedan can get a range of up to 510km in just 15 minutes of charging.
Verdict - Global Trendsetter
The Xiaomi SU7 is currently on sale only in its home country. It is retailing at an approximate price of Rs. 25 lakh to Rs. 35 lakh (converted into Indian Rupee). Now, the brand officials have confirmed that there are no plans to sell the SU7 outside of China at least for a few years. Despite this, if the brand plans to go global, then the Indian market should also be a key focus area considering how fast the EV business is growing in our country.
Now, coming to the price, considering how it is priced in China and knowing Xiaomi’s aggressive pricing strategy, at least in the smartphone business, the SU7 could very well be priced between Rs. 60 lakh and Rs. 80 lakh. This is including all the import duties, taxes, and operational costs. Even at this pricing, it will grab attention and could do well with competitors like the BYD Seal, BMW i4, Volvo C40 Recharge, Mercedes-Benz EQB, and the Kia EV6, with the like-for-like rivals being the BYD Seal and the BMW i4.
And yes, if Apple had pursued their dream project of a car with an 'Apple' badge on it, it would have been a hit, considering how popular the tech giant is and how well-known the brand has become across the globe.
