Xiaomi YU7 Max Spotted on U.S. Highway, Likely Rivian Rival Test Vehicle

Recently, a Xiaomi YU7 Max bearing an Illinois manufacturer license plate was spotted driving on Interstate 5 (I-5) in the United States. The plate number “132” was previously used on Rivian test vehicles, and Rivian’s manufacturing facility is located in Illinois. Although such plates are not exclusive to Rivian, the timing has sparked speculation. Rivian is currently pushing forward with its R2 model, priced at approximately $45,000 (about RMB 313,000), and plans to unveil it by June. The company’s CEO previously acknowledged that Rivian purchases various Chinese-made vehicles for internal competitive analysis. Industry insiders believe the appearance of the Xiaomi YU7 Max in the U.S. is likely part of Rivian’s routine competitive benchmarking process. Rivian has not directly commented on the matter, only stating that systematically studying global vehicle models during development is standard industry practice.