Chinese Smartphone Maker Xiaomi Is Making An EV And It Looks Cool As Hell

Xiaomi's first ever passenger car, the SU7, leaked to the internet via a sales license application. We're really into it.

Brian Silvestro

By: Brian Silvestro

Nov 16, 2023 at 4:30pm ET

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Chinese firm Xiaomi is known best for its smartphones and e-scooters. Now, thanks to a public sales license filing in China, we get to feast our eyes on the company's first-ever passenger car, an all-electric sedan called the SU7.

Cars News China managed to spot the filing on the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT)'s website, which publishes a list of vehicles going through China's homologation process monthly. The data is available to the public and includes things like photos, specifications, trim levels, and more.

The SU7 reminds us a lot of the Genesis G70 from the front, mainly thanks to those horizontally split headlights. The four-door fastback shape gives off Porsche Taycan vibes, as does the available active spoiler out back. But with a wheelbase of just over 9.8 feet and an overall length of 16.4 feet, the SU7 is a bit longer than a Taycan.

The filing reveals a handful of other tidbits as well, including 19-inch and available 20-inch wheels, and an available LIDAR system mounted to the top of the windshield. There are two powertrain options, according to Car News China: a base rear-wheel drive setup making 295 horsepower, and a more powerful all-wheel drive version making 663 hp. Top speed is limited to 130 mph for the base car, and 164 mph for the more powerful version.

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The SU7 will be built in collaboration with Beijing Automotive Industry Holding Co. Ltd (BAIC), according to Car News China, with production expected to begin in December. Interestingly, this is the same company Mercedes-Benz contracts to build its cars in China under the Beijing-Benz joint venture founded in 2005.

Like most Chinese-designed cars, we don't expect the Xiaomi SU7 to be sold in North America. In this case we think it's a shame, as we could use more cool, sporty-looking EVs that look like something other than soulless fish-shaped blobs.