Xiaomi YU7 SUV – super range and superquick

On Xiaomi’s 15th anniversary, CEO Lei Jun introduced the company’s first electric SUV, the YU7. This follows the release of the SU7 sedan. It will launch in China officially in July this year when pricing will also be announced.

What is it?

The YU7 is a mid-to-large electric SUV built on the company’s Modena platform. It is 5.0m in length, 2m in width, and 1608mm in height, with a 3m wheelbase. YU7 will be available in nine exterior colours, including a green shade inspired by Colombian emeralds. Weight varies between 2140 kg and 2460 kg depending on the model. Wheel choices include 19- and 20-inch sizes.

Special features include inward-folding electric door handles with ambient lighting and Ultra Wideband support for smartphone-based keyless entry and trunk access. 

Inside, the ‘zero gravity’ front seats are Nappa leather lined, with massage function. Rear passengers benefit from electrically adjustable seats and a 6.68-inch touch control screen for climate, music, and navigation functions.

Widescreen

The dashboard has a 1.1m-wide “HyperVision” set-up that consists of three Mini LED screens with high-level resolution. The system integrates driving data, media, blind-spot imaging, and customizable widgets. YU7 includes a 4-in-1 domain controller that integrates cabin, assisted driving, vehicle control, and communications systems. Underpinning it is a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip set, ensuring fast boot-up in 1.35sec and over-the-air updates in 15 minutes.

Three models

YU7 RWD: This has a single 235kW rear motor offering 528Nm of torque and a sprint time to 100 of 5.9sec. 

YU7 Pro AWD: Dual motors produce system output of 365kW and 690Nm for a 0–100km/h time of 4.27sec.

YU7 Max AWD: The top model makes with 508kW and 866Nm, for a claimed sprint time of 3.23sec. It uses a 220kW front motor and 295kW rear unit. 

All examples run on Xiaomi’s 800V silicon carbide high-voltage platform. Under maximum charging speeds, the YU7 can add up to 620km of range in 15 minutes.

Battery configurations

RWD: 96.3kWh LFP battery, 835km of range

Pro AWD: 96.3kWh LFP battery, 770km of range

Max AWD: 101.7kWh NCM battery, 760km of range

Safety first

The vehicle structure includes a 2200 MPa ultra-high-strength steel integrated roll cage, an aluminium die-cast front frame, and a steel-aluminium hybrid body referred to as an “armour cage.” The battery pack incorporates a reinforced shell with a ‘bullet-resistant’ coating. The mind boggles. Xiaomi says that over 50 passive safety tests have been conducted. The A- and B-pillars have also been structurally enhanced.

YU7 uses Xiaomi’s in-house developed end-to-end assisted driving system. Standard on all variants are Lidar sensors and Nvidia Drive AGX Thor (700 TOPS), paired with 4D mmWave radar and ALD-coated anti-glare cameras.