Xiaomi is turning its first electric sedan into a direct shot at Tesla’s dominance in China, pairing a headline-grabbing 560-mile claimed range with a starting price around $33,000. The updated SU7, positioned squarely against the Tesla Model 3, now stretches what a mid-priced EV can offer on paper while leaning on the company’s software and hardware ecosystem to stand out. I see this car less as a one-off experiment and more as a statement that the smartphone-era playbook is coming for the EV market.
The upgrade arrives as global electric sales cool and price wars intensify, yet Xiaomi is doubling down on performance, charging speed, and in-house technology rather than racing to the bottom on cost. That combination, if it holds up in real-world use, could reset expectations for what buyers get from a $33,000 electric sedan, even if most drivers outside China will only be watching from afar.
The 560-mile headline and what 902 km really means
The most eye-catching claim around the new SU7 is its “560 Mile” range, a figure that instantly vaults it into the same conversation as long-range Teslas and premium German EVs. Xiaomi’s own positioning frames the car as “Updated” and explicitly “Challenging Tesla,” with the top “Max” version of the sedan said to deliver that “Mile Range Starting” from a base of “$33” thousand dollars, a combination that would be unthinkable in most Western markets today and is clearly designed to undercut the Tesla Model 3 on both distance and price in China’s crowded EV arena. That 560-mile number is not an EPA rating, and buyers should understand it as a best-case figure under local test conditions rather than a guarantee of real-world highway range, but it still signals how aggressively Xiaomi is pushing battery capacity and efficiency in this segment, especially for a first-generation car that only launched in 2024 and is already being refreshed.
Behind that headline, Xiaomi EV has begun pre-sales for the updated SU7 with a quoted CLTC range of “902 km,” a figure that translates to roughly 560 miles and aligns with the marketing claim for the Max trim. The company is also clear that the car is “Priced” higher than the outgoing version, with the new lineup carrying a modest premium of about 6.48 percent over its predecessor, a move it justifies by pointing to more advanced batteries, stronger motors, and richer driver-assistance hardware across the board. The CLTC cycle is known to be more generous than Western standards, but even after adjusting for that, a 902 km rating suggests a sedan that can comfortably exceed 400 miles in mixed driving, which is still a serious step up from most mass-market EVs on sale today.
Under-the-skin upgrades: motors, charging, and tech
Range alone does not make an EV compelling, and Xiaomi appears to know that, which is why most of the 2026 changes are focused on what the company describes as improvements “under the skin.” Jan reports that “The Xiaomi” SU7 has been updated with faster charging, more power, and an overhauled interior, with “Most” of the upgrades hidden beneath familiar sheet metal so existing fans still recognize the silhouette. In a separate breakdown, Jan notes that “Xiaomi” has specifically targeted its “Tesla Model” 3 rival by boosting performance and refining the cabin, with “The Xiao” sedan now offering a more cohesive blend of speed, comfort, and software integration that leans heavily on the brand’s smartphone and smart-home experience.
The powertrain story is just as important as the battery. Jan highlights that “The lower-spec models now get Xiaomi’s in-house developed V6s motors and a bump in power and range,” a shift that brings more of the company’s own engineering into the car and reduces reliance on external suppliers. According to Jan, “Xiaomi” is using this refresh to standardize higher-spec components across the lineup, which should simplify production and give even entry-level buyers a taste of the flagship experience. Another detailed look notes that “Xiaomi is proving that the world of electric cars moves fast with a major update to its SU7 sedan,” with the tech giant increasing output to “320 horsepower, up from 299,” a clear sign that the company is not content to rest on its early success and is instead iterating at something closer to smartphone speed than traditional automotive cadence.
Pricing, positioning, and the Tesla Model 3 benchmark
Price is where the SU7’s challenge to Tesla becomes most concrete. Jan describes how “Xiaomi revamps its hot-selling SU7 EV” and still “undercuts Tesla at $33,000,” a figure that puts the car squarely in the heart of China’s mid-market sedan segment while offering range and performance that, on paper, exceed many rivals. A big part of the company’s strategy has been to keep the core promise of a long-range, tech-heavy sedan intact even as it nudges prices upward, with the refreshed car still marketed as a better-value alternative to the Tesla Model 3 for buyers who care about both gadgets and driving dynamics. In that context, the 560-mile claim is less about bragging rights and more about signaling that Xiaomi can match or beat Tesla’s numbers within the same regulatory framework.
The company is also navigating the optics of raising prices in a market that has grown used to aggressive discounting. Jan notes that “However, Xiaomi has also been facing backlash after a series of incidents last year prompted widespread criticism of the brand,” a reminder that rapid expansion and intense online scrutiny can cut both ways for a consumer-tech giant moving into cars. At the same time, “Xiaomi EV begins pre-sales for updated SU7: Priced higher, offers up to 902 km range” underscores that the brand is betting customers will accept a modest premium in exchange for tangible improvements in range, safety, and software. From what I can see, that is a calculated risk: it positions the SU7 as a slightly more aspirational product while still undercutting Tesla on entry price and leaning on the company’s broader ecosystem to keep buyers loyal.
How Xiaomi is turning a gadget into a global EV story
Beyond the spec sheet, Xiaomi is clearly trying to turn the SU7 into a halo product that showcases its broader ambitions in mobility. A detailed walk-through of the 2026 model notes that “On January 7, 2026, Xiaomi EV officially unveiled the new-generation SU7, which is scheduled to hit the market in April,” framing the launch as a key milestone in the company’s push to become a full-stack hardware and software player in transportation. A separate analysis of why “Higher price equals higher value” for “Xiaomi EV” argues that the brand is using this refresh to extend premium features, including advanced driver-assistance and connectivity, across more trims rather than keeping them locked to the top model, a strategy that mirrors how it has long sold smartphones with flagship-level specs at mid-range prices.
That approach is already reshaping expectations in China’s EV market. Jan reports that “The extension of top-tier technology to all variants is also evident in the driver assistance systems and the required hardware,” with the updated saloon designed to scale from basic commuting to semi-automated highway driving without forcing buyers into the most expensive configuration. A backgrounder on the SU7’s “Facelift (2026)” notes that “In December” rumors began circulating that “Xiaomi” would roll out a comprehensive refresh with new interior tech “coming standard on every model,” which is exactly what has now materialized. From my perspective, this is Xiaomi applying its classic playbook: use one high-profile product to pull the rest of the portfolio forward, then iterate quickly to stay ahead of both domestic rivals and global brands like Tesla.
Why American drivers are watching from the sidelines
For all the excitement around the SU7’s numbers, most American drivers will not be able to buy one any time soon. A widely shared discussion titled “Xiaomi SU7” on r/electricvehicles captures the frustration, with one “Top 1% Poster” writing, “I was wondering if anyone knows whether or not this vehicle will be able to be imported to the USA? Or is China the only market?” and another user explaining that “the Xiaomi SU7 does not” currently meet the regulatory and distribution requirements for mainstream U.S. sales, even if a “Manufacturer plate lets you get away with many things” in limited contexts. A deeper dive into pricing and policy underlines “Why Xiaomi SU7 Isn’t Coming To The United States,” pointing out that “In May 2024, U.S. President, Joe Biden, announced that his administration would increase tariffs on electric vehicle batteries,” a move that makes it even harder for Chinese-built EVs to compete on price in America.
Even Xiaomi’s own plans confirm that the U.S. is not on the near-term roadmap. A company update notes that “Xiaomi will ship internationally soon, but has no plans to come to the U.S.,” a stance that reflects both political headwinds and the complexity of building a sales and service network from scratch in such a large market. For now, that means the SU7’s 560-mile claim and $33,000 starting price are primarily a story for China and, eventually, other regions that Xiaomi targets as it expands. It also means that American buyers looking for similar range and performance will likely continue to gravitate toward Tesla, which has already launched a Model 3 variant in China with an “830 km” rating on the local “CLTC” cycle, even though that figure would be lower under the stricter “EPA” standard. As one technical explainer notes, “The CLTC typically yields higher numbers than WLTP or EPA standards,” which is why Tesla’s long-range Model 3 in China can claim around 500 miles on paper while using batteries “supplied by South Korea’s LG Energy Solutions,” yet still deliver more modest figures when tested under Western protocols.
From where I sit, that context matters when comparing Xiaomi’s SU7 to Tesla’s offerings. A video breakdown of the “New Xiaomi SU7” points out that “Jan” has already seen the company iterate quickly on the sedan and hints that “Let’s dive into what’s new for the 2026 model” is likely to become a recurring refrain as the brand updates its cars almost as often as its phones. At the same time, early coverage of “Xiaomi’s Updated SU7 Gets 560 Mile Range Starting at $33K, Challenging Tesla” makes clear that this is not just a spec-sheet battle but a broader contest over who defines the next decade of electric mobility. For now, Tesla still sets the global benchmark, but with Xiaomi’s refreshed SU7, the gap between Silicon Valley and Shenzhen in the EV world just got a lot narrower.
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