Xiaomi debuts SU7 Ultra: A potential luxury EV game changer

Xiaomi's launch of SU7 Ultra on Thursday shakes up the luxury electric sedan market. Priced from 529,900 yuan ($72,931.72), the car is 35 percent lower than its initial pre-order price of 814,900 yuan announced at the end of October. A limited edition of the luxury EV, whose specifications are yet to be disclosed, still sells for 814,900 yuan.

Customers who place orders for the SU7 Ultra before the end of March will receive lifetime free access to Xiaomi's Human-centric Autonomous Driving system (HAD) end-to-end intelligent driving system, typically retailing for 26,000 yuan, said Xiaomi's founder and CEO Lei Jun at the launch event.

He made reference to Tesla's recent update to its autopilot software in China, which he said "has gone viral over the past two days, but still needs (users) to pay more than 60,000 yuan."

The SU7 Ultra boasts a tri-motor powertrain and a track-optimized battery pack, delivering a maximum horsepower of 1,548. It accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in an impressive 1.98 seconds and has a top speed of 350 km/h. Notably, a high-performance version of the SU7 Ultra set a Nürburgring lap record in November, completing the 20 km track in 6 minutes and 46.874 seconds, surpassing previous records held by the Rimac Nevera and Porsche Taycan Turbo GT.

In comparison, the ZEEKR 001 FR, launched in 2023, features a quad-motor system producing 1,265 horsepower, accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 2.07 seconds, and is priced at approximately 749,000 yuan ($103,000).

ZEEKR has claimed that no other carmaker would be able to manufacture at a similar level within the next five years, but this was quickly challenged by Xiaomi, whose rapid progress in just two years breaks the mold. 

AI integration

At the same event, Xiaomi unveiled the Xiaomi 15 Ultra smartphone, equipped with the Snapdragon 8 Supreme Edition chip and dual-satellite communication capabilities. 

The device features a high-performance antenna array and three communication chips, enhanced by AI for comprehensive scene optimization, significantly improving communication performance and reducing latency in gaming and live streaming. 

It supports network-free calls, with two-way communication over distances up to 7 kilometers. In a joint collaboration with China Telecom and Alibaba's workflow application DingTalk, Xiaomi 15 Ultra introduces an innovative satellite data communication feature that enables users to send images and instant messages via the DingTalk app, even when only satellite networks are available. A key aspect of this technology is the AI-enhanced image compression and decompression system on the phone, which significantly reduces data size for transmission. 

The phone is also capable of direct satellite connectivity with two different satellite networks, BeiDou and China Telecom's TianTong. Priced from 6,499 yuan, it will be available on March 3.

Xiaomi is planning to invest 30 billion yuan ($4.3 billion) into research and development, with AI-related businesses taking up to one quarter of it, Lei said at the event. 

When Lei attended a recent symposium on China's private enterprises, he told China Media Group that he and his company were determined to integrate AI technology into end products. 

"We are committed to integrating the latest AI technology into various end products, enabling consumers to experience the wonderful life brought by technology," said Lei.

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