Chinese EVs: Xiaomi accelerates launch of Tesla Model Y rival YU7

Sales of the YU7, the Beijing-based company’s second production model, would start at the end of this month instead of in July as previously planned, founder and CEO Lei Jun said in a post on Chinese social media platform Weibo on Monday.

“We are making the preparations, and [will] see you at the end of June,” he said.

The accelerated launch follows Xiaomi’s efforts to ramp up capacity amid the fanfare surrounding the car. Deliveries of the premium SUV were expected to begin in July. Xiaomi would not comment on pricing or delivery dates.

On May 27, Xiaomi president Lu Weibing said that the number of inquiries about the YU7’s presale greatly exceeded those for the company’s first model, the SU7, ahead of its debut in March 2024. The SU7 sedan, which competes with Tesla’s Model 3, was an immediate hit, securing more than 70,000 orders in the month after its official launch.

On June 1, Lu said on his Weibo account that Xiaomi was revving up mass production of the YU7.