Xiaomi launches next‑gen SU7 with 902 km range and LiDAR, still beating Tesla on price

Xiaomi’s next‑generation SU7 arrives on a dramatically upgraded platform that pushes the brand’s electric‑sedan ambitions well beyond its 2023 launch. The company has moved the Standard and Pro trims from a 400 V architecture to a 752 V silicon‑carbide inverter system, while the top‑end Max version now operates at 897 V—approaching a true 900 V battery pack, according to Electrek. The higher voltage translates into markedly faster charging: the Max can add 670 km of range in 15 minutes, a jump from the previous 510 km, and the 5C super‑charging rate enables a 10 %‑to‑80 % charge in roughly 11 minutes. Across the lineup, the CLTC‑rated range climbs to 720 km for the Standard, 902 km for the Pro, and 835 km for the Max, with the Pro’s 902 km figure representing roughly 560 miles on the Chinese test cycle—roughly 400 + miles in real‑world driving, a distance that “comfortably above what any Tesla currently offers,” Electrek notes.

Power and chassis upgrades complement the battery advances. All three trims now share Xiaomi’s V6s Plus motor, boosting single‑motor output from 299 hp to 320 hp, while the dual‑motor Max gains a modest increase to 690 hp from 673 hp. The Pro model inherits the dual‑chamber air suspension with Continuous Damping Control that was previously exclusive to the Max, and every variant receives wider staggered tires (245 mm front, 265 mm rear) plus four‑piston fixed front brakes; the Max further upgrades to Brembo calipers with drilled, vented discs. Aerodynamic efficiency improves marginally, with the revised body achieving a drag coefficient of 0.21, according to the same Electrek report.

Perhaps the most market‑disruptive change is the standardization of LiDAR and a high‑performance computing suite across all trims. The outgoing SU7 reserved LiDAR for its flagship, but the new model equips every vehicle with LiDAR, 4D millimeter‑wave radar, and a unified platform delivering 700 TOPS of processing power—up from a 508 TOPS ceiling on the prior generation. Xiaomi’s High‑way Autonomous Driving (HAD) system, which leverages this sensor suite, now comes standard even on the ¥229,900 base model, giving consumers hardware that many rivals charge a premium for, Electrek reports.

Safety has also been overhauled in response to earlier incidents. The body structure now incorporates 2,200 MPa ultra‑high‑strength steel in critical zones, up from 2,000 MPa, while the battery pack is reinforced with a 1,500 MPa steel crossbeam and a scratch‑resistant coating. Airbag count rises from seven to nine, adding rear‑passenger side airbags, and the previously criticized flush door handles are replaced with a triple‑redundant mechanism that includes a mechanical backup. These enhancements aim to address the “high‑profile incidents involving the original SU7,” as noted by Electrek.

The pricing strategy underscores Xiaomi’s intent to widen the gap with Tesla’s Model 3 in China. Despite a ¥10,000‑¥14,000 price hike over the previous SU7, the new sedan starts at ¥229,900 (≈$33,000), still about ¥5,600 (≈$800) cheaper than a Model 3, according to Electrek. The company’s sales momentum supports that positioning: it logged nearly 89,000 pre‑orders within 24 hours of opening reservations in January, and has delivered over 360,000 units in roughly 21 months, having outsold the Model 3 for the first time in late 2025. By coupling a substantially higher range, faster charging, standard LiDAR, and reinforced safety at a price point undercutting Tesla, Xiaomi appears poised to deepen its foothold in China’s premium EV segment.