The Xiaomi SU7: Fast, Cheap, and Comes With LiDAR

Xiaomi makes phones. You know that. Now they also make cars. The SU7 is their first EV, and the numbers are interesting. 902 km range, LiDAR as standard, and a price that undercuts Tesla.

Xiaomi SU7 Interior

The SU7 comes in a few versions. Base model does 0 to 100 in 5.3 seconds. The Max version cuts that to 2.8 seconds, and adds the bigger battery.

Quick Specs

• Range: 902 km (China cycle, real-world will be lower)
• 0 to 100 km/h: 5.3 seconds (base), 2.8 seconds (Max)
• Top speed: 210 km/h (base), 265 km/h (Max)
• LiDAR: Standard on all trims (up from optional/Max-only)
• Battery: ~73.6 kWh (base), up to 101 kWh (Max)
• Price: Starts around $30,000 in China (local pricing), undercuts Tesla Model 3

The 902 km number comes from China's testing system, which is famously optimistic. Real-world range will be lower. But even if you knock off 20%, you're still looking at something that goes further than most EVs at this price.

LiDAR, What's That?

LiDAR is the little dome you sometimes see on top of fancy EVs. It shoots out lasers to build a 3D map of what's around the car. It's expensive tech, usually reserved for luxury models. Xiaomi put it in a car that costs less than a Tesla.

SU7 Rear

The Tesla Thing

In China, the SU7 starts around $30,000. That's a few thousand less than a Model 3. The fully loaded version with the faster acceleration and LiDAR comes in around $42,000. Cheaper than a Model 3 Performance by a decent margin.

Whether it comes to other countries is the big question. EVs are heavy. Tariffs are real. Xiaomi is still ramping up production. For now, it's a China story, but other car companies are probably watching.

So?

Xiaomi built a fast EV with premium sensor tech and priced it like a normal car. That's it. Even if you can't buy one tomorrow, you can see where this is going. The people who made phones cheap are now doing the same thing to cars.