Yes, that same Xiaomi as the cellphone maker has now produced a car! Dubbed SU7, the McLaren-faced EV will give a Taycan a run for its money.
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Upon first inspection, the SU7 has taken undeniable inspiration from Porsche’s first electric creation too. Silhouette, fender details and lighting all bear a resemblance to the German creation. While the model to wear the Stuttgart badge has been on production for several years, the Xiaomi is fresh to the market. Officially unveiled after being initially teased a few months ago, the SU7 now has a comprehensive list of specs and figures provided by Xiaomi.
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Things get confusing when looking at powertrain options since the cellphone maker has confusingly named the lined V6, V6s and V8s despite all models being battery-electric with architecture compatible with 400- and 800-volts. Now that is out of the way, the base V6 models receive 220 kW and 400 N.m which propels the rear wheels alone. This can get it to sprint up to 100 km/h in only 5,28 seconds despite being limited to 400-volt electrics only meaning its recharge speed is slightly slower. Regardless, it can still travel an impressive 668 km between charges courtesy of its 73,6 kWh battery.
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Further up the pecking order comes the V8s which rival the Taycan and Tesla Model S. A grand total of 495 kW and 838 N.m of silent, electrified power and twist are responsible for catapulting it to 100 km/h in 2,78 seconds but more impressively is the 800 km range from the 101 kWh battery the all-wheel drive model can travel between charges. This means that over 200 km of range can be regenerated in less than 5 minutes of charge to a rapid station.
Inside, the large 16,1-inch central touchscreen tablet handles driver assistance and infotainment while autonomous packages enable the SU7 to drive hands-free on the highway and assist in parking situations. Xiaomi states it will expand to self-driving on city streets once tests have been successfully carried out in the new year. In front of the driver will be a 7,1-inch screen and head-up display for those that do choose to drive the potent EV.
At the moment, no pricing on the model has been revealed but considering it rivals the Taycan and Model S, it isn’t expected to be cheap. Although no foreign countries have been confirmed for export, South Africa isn’t expected on the list.
