- Likely to be called Xiaomi SU8, the planned electric SUV may have dimensions similar to that of the Porsche Cayenne.
Xiaomi SU7 has mounted a big challenge to the dominance enjoyed by Tesla and BYD in the Chinese market. The first car, an electric sedan, from the smartphone manufacturer has received around one lakh bookings in less than two weeks since its launch. But while the Xiaomi SU7 is basking in the glory of initial success, the company is reportedly putting finishing touches to its second offering – an electric SUV.
Speculative reports in the Chinese media suggest that the Xiaomi SU8 will be based on a new platform but will borrow design cues from the SU7 electric sedan which is based on the company’s Modena platform. It is important to note here that the ‘SU8’ name has not been officially confirmed and that Xiaomi is keeping all development-related works around the model a tight secret.
What is likely though is that the SUV model will have dimensions that are identical to a Porsche Cayenne and specifications that could make it a rival to the Porsche Taycan EV.
Up, up and away!
Xiaomi SUV7 has helped the company establish a solid foothold in the Chinese EV market even if it is still very early to make a solid assessment. With 50,000 bookings within the first 27 minutes of the EV being launched, the SU7 is sold out for 2024. What the EV’s launch has also done is helped Xiaomi’s share prices take flight with the company valuation reaching $55.2 billion.
But there is some degree of concerns as well. There have been reports in the local as well as global news platforms about several instances of the SU7 being crashed, possibly due to either driver fault or technical glitches. Or both. There is some murmur that Xiaomi has not subjected its SU7 to the extensive tests that most other brands of repute in the automotive world put their respective models through.
So while doubling its electric car portfolio in a span of under 12 months will appear like a confident move, it is also one that could come with a new set of challenges.
First Published Date: 05 Apr 2024, 09:33 AM IST