Chinese consumer electronics giant Xiaomi, which has diversified into electric cars in recent years, has revealed for the first time that it will launch its flagship – and insanely quick – SU7 Ultra electric vehicle in South Africa.
The Ultra variant of the SU7 line-up is so quick that it beat not only Tesla’s fastest electric car – the Model S Plaid – around Germany’s Nürburgring, but also the Rimac Nevera.
Founded in 2010 by Lei Jun and headquartered in Beijing, Xiaomi is best known for its well-priced Android smartphones and other consumer gadgets, including robotic vacuum cleaners and even electric scooters.
In recent years, though, the company has diversified into electric vehicle manufacturing, and so far has produced the SU7 electric sedan and the more recent and equally impressive YU7 SUV, positioning itself as a tech-driven motoring company alongside BYD and Tesla. Xiaomi’s rapid ascent has been described by analysts as a threat to those companies.
Xiaomi’s newer model, the YU7 – which is not dissimilar in design to modern Porsche SUVs – secured some 200 000 pre-orders from interested customers within just three minutes of launch. Within the first hour, that number had jumped to 289 000 pre-orders.
Manufactured by Xiaomi Auto, the YU7 first rolled out of Beijing’s F2 plant from June 2025. Built on the Modena platform, it’s a 5-door, 5-seat crossover with a 3m wheelbase and slim, aerodynamic styling.
Nürburgring record
The company offers three models of the YU7: the Standard version with a 96.3kWh battery and 235kW of peak power; a Pro model dual-motor all-wheel drive at 365kW and 770km of claimed range; and a Max version boasting 508kW of peak power (220kW to the front wheels and 288kW to the rear), 0-100 km/h in 3.23 seconds and 760km of claimed range from its 101.7kWh battery.
Inside, the YU7 has a HyperVision panoramic HUD – a 1.1m wide, ultra-bright mini‑LED strip across the dash and a 16.1‑inch central touchscreen.
The SU7 Ultra is nothing to be sneezed at either. According to the vehicle’s specifications list, it offers a range of up to 630km from its 94kWh battery and can be recharged at up to 490kW (going from 10% to 80% in 11 minutes). On the track, it set a production EV Nürburgring record with a lap time of 7:04.957, making it a street-legal racing missile.
There are no details yet about when the SU7 will be launched in South Africa, or even which variants will be available here. There’s no pricing yet, either. All a spokeswoman for the company would say for now is this: “The vehicle will be coming to South Africa – we just do not have confirmation yet as to when exactly.”
Read: Bumper orders for Xiaomi’s YU7 SUV heighten threat to Tesla
Internationally, the SU7 is available in Standard, Pro, Max and Ultra variants, with the Ultra costing the equivalent of about US$114 000. The Standard model sells for about $30 400.
Xiaomi declined to comment on whether it will launch the YU7 model in South Africa, saying the focus for now is on the SU7. — © 2025 NewsCentral Media
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