Lei Jun States Xiaomi Cars Won't Sell for 99,000 Yuan, Official Images of Xiaomi SU7 Released
-
On December 28th in Beijing, with snow covering the roads and temperatures below 0°C, Xiaomi Group founder, chairman, and CEO Lei Jun dashed the hopes of fans dreaming of low-priced cars at the Xiaomi Auto Technology Launch Event. "Stop shouting for 99,000 yuan, and don't even mention 149,000 yuan!" With the unveiling of a series of cutting-edge technologies, Lei Jun bluntly stated, "Any car with this level of performance and configuration would cost over 400,000 yuan! We must respect technology!"
"Through 15 to 20 years of effort, Xiaomi aims to become one of the top five global car manufacturers," Lei Jun passionately declared. "Xiaomi will create a Dream Car that rivals Porsche and Tesla!"
Five Core Automotive Technologies, Raising the Bar
At the event, five core automotive technologies were showcased: Xiaomi's Hyper Motor, self-developed CTB integrated battery technology, Hyper Die-Casting technology, full-stack self-developed autonomous driving technology, and Xiaomi Smart Cabin. Lei Jun used numerous superlatives like "world's highest," "world-leading," "world's only," "world's strictest," and "world's first" to describe them.
In the field of autonomous driving, Xiaomi unveiled the world's first mass-producible end-to-end perception model. Lei Jun explained that traditional autonomous driving relies heavily on high-definition maps, which are difficult to deploy nationwide. Xiaomi's self-developed end-to-end perception model can generate road topology in real-time, achieving results comparable to high-definition maps, enabling functions like intersection recognition and obstacle avoidance. This model integrates perception and decision-making, allowing real-time observation of road conditions and dynamic adjustments. For example, while traditional models might fail to park in a 0.1m precision scenario, Xiaomi's end-to-end model can simultaneously perceive and decide, enabling a 200cm car to park in a 210cm space.
In terms of electric motors, Xiaomi has released the super motor V8s, achieving a rotational speed of 27,200rpm, ranking first globally. Lei Jun disclosed that Xiaomi Auto has developed three generations of power motor technology: the 21,000rpm V6/V6s motors have already entered mass production, the 27,200rpm V8s will be installed in vehicles by 2025, and laboratory pre-research rotor technology has reached 35,000rpm.
Reporters learned that motors directly determine the performance of new energy vehicles—higher motor speeds translate to faster electric vehicle acceleration. Currently, the 2023 Tesla Model S Plaid (configuration|inquiry) is considered the world's fastest EV with 0-100km/h acceleration in 2.1 seconds and a top speed of 322km/h, powered by a 20,000rpm motor. Last month, Huawei launched its self-developed DriveONE e-drive system with a maximum speed of 22,000rpm, already equipped on the Zhijie S7 (configuration|inquiry).
Additionally, Xiaomi Auto aims to become the winter range champion for EVs. Lei Jun announced Xiaomi's self-developed 800V high-voltage silicon carbide platform, reaching up to 871V (essentially meeting 900V standards). The company also created the world's first cell-to-body (CTB) integrated battery with inverted cells, achieving 77.8% volumetric efficiency and capacity for up to 150kWh batteries, delivering over 1,200km CLTC range. The pioneering inverted cell technology enables rapid downward heat dissipation for battery safety.
Lei Jun stated that smart EV development represents the integration of automotive industry with consumer electronics and smart ecosystems. The comprehensive fusion of automotive technologies marks the inevitable path for the industry's next century of evolution. By combining industrial hardware, intelligent software, and AI empowerment, Xiaomi Auto will completely redefine automotive technology stacks, representing a major leap in automotive industrial technology.
"Stop shouting about 99,000 yuan – it's impossible!"
When announcing the preview of the press conference, Lei Jun had stated that it would focus solely on technology without launching any products. However, following consecutive new model releases by NIO, Huawei, and Zeekr, Xiaomi ultimately presented its "first answer sheet" regarding automobiles at this event.
Data shows that Xiaomi's debut vehicle – the SU7 – is positioned as a "C-class high-performance eco-tech sedan." It measures 4997mm in length, 3000mm in wheelbase, 1963mm in width, and 1440mm in height, with a drag coefficient (Cd) of 0.195. It accelerates from 0-100km/h in just 2.78 seconds and reaches a top speed of 265km/h. In Lei Jun's comparison, it boasts performance metrics comparable to Tesla's Model S, with no lag in three key indicators: 0-100km/h acceleration, 100km/h-0 braking distance, and maximum speed.
When asked why Xiaomi chose a sedan for its first model, Lei Jun explained that sedans represent the "zeitgeist" of the automotive industry, and creating a sedan offers greater potential to become the representative work of this era. Technically speaking, developing a sedan is more challenging than developing an SUV. Xiaomi chose to embrace this challenge, selecting the most difficult and ambitious path.
Previously in interviews, Lei Jun had stated that entering the automotive business wasn't for showmanship. He emphasized that electric vehicles have transformed from mechanical products to information technology products. With Xiaomi's ecosystem spanning smartphones, smart home devices, and smart office solutions, proper integration with electric vehicles could create powerful scalability. Xiaomi possesses natural advantages in car manufacturing because modern smart electric vehicles essentially represent the convergence of automotive and consumer electronics industries. While challenges exist in entering the automotive sector, Lei Jun believes the difficulties are generally manageable.
Lei Jun emphasized: "The Xiaomi SU7 doesn't have a direct competitor. We've conducted extensive research to create a dream car that fulfills everyone's aspirations. In terms of driving performance and mechanical quality, we aim to rival the Porsche Taycan Turbo; in intelligence, we aim to match the Tesla Model S. Additionally, it will feature the most advanced technology and the richest ecosystem."
Regarding the highly anticipated pricing, Lei Jun firmly dismissed speculations of a low-cost model during the launch event. "This car will be somewhat expensive, with two versions available," Lei stated bluntly. "Stop shouting '99,000' or '149,000'—any car with this level of performance and configuration would cost over 400,000! Let's respect technology!"
In fact, when Lei Jun used numerous superlatives to describe the car's technology, the underlying message was clear: Xiaomi's car will be high-end and premium. Lei revealed that the Xiaomi SU7 is currently in the trial production ramp-up phase, with its official launch still months away. "Although the price is high, the product experience will exceed expectations," Lei added.
From the emotional "choking up" three years ago when announcing the car project to the now hoarse voice of imminent success, Lei Jun has every reason to spend three hours praising Xiaomi's car, thanks to its innovative technologies. But the question remains: Can the expensive Xiaomi car still be "the first car for young people"?