Lei Jun Live-Streams Xiaomi SU7 Long-Distance Range Test, Rules Out Sub-$14K Models for Years

At 6:30 a.m. on April 17, Lei Jun, founder of Xiaomi, launched a live broadcast of the long-distance range test for the new-generation Xiaomi SU7, driving from Beijing to Shanghai—a journey expected to take approximately 15 hours. During the livestream, Lei sat in the front passenger seat while “Qiang Ge,” Vice President of Xiaomi Auto, drove the vehicle, accompanied by Xu Jieyun, General Manager of Xiaomi’s PR department. Around 10 a.m., Lei updated his progress on social media: after driving for 3 hours and 15 minutes, they had covered 327 kilometers with an average energy consumption of 15.6 kWh per 100 kilometers. During the livestream, responding to questions from netizens, Lei stated that Xiaomi would not launch any models priced under RMB 100,000 (approximately USD 14,000) in the next few years. He explained that achieving high-quality intelligent electric vehicles requires significant investment, making it difficult to maintain such low pricing. Currently, all Xiaomi vehicles on sale start above RMB 200,000: the new SU7 Standard, Pro, and Max trims are priced from RMB 219,900, RMB 249,900, and RMB 303,900 respectively; the three variants of the YU7 SUV, launched last year, start at RMB 253,500, RMB 279,900, and RMB 329,900. Lei also mentioned his recent meeting with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, noting that Sánchez repeatedly asked about the vehicle's range performance, leading Lei to speculate that Spain has relatively few high-quality, long-range EVs available. Reiterating his height as 181 cm, Lei jokingly wondered whether he should wear elevator shoes to better match Sánchez, who is around 190 cm tall. Lei explained that this livestream was prompted by skepticism following his statement last year claiming the SU7 could complete the Beijing–Shanghai trip on a single charge. His team suggested broadcasting the entire journey to demonstrate the car’s capabilities. He admitted that sitting in the passenger seat felt more exhausting than driving himself, as he worried any misstatement might be amplified by public opinion. Noting that Xiaomi had been plagued by negative sentiment over the past year, he said the company decided this year to proactively communicate and thoroughly introduce its products. He further emphasized that Xiaomi Auto’s executive team places top priority on product quality and safety. Over 3,500 employees are dedicated to safety-related work, and Xiaomi Auto has established a Safety Committee with veto power. The company also plans to form a Safety Advisory Committee and build regular communication channels with universities, research institutions, car owners, and media outlets. Additionally, the new SU7 features electrically operated door handles under normal conditions, which automatically switch to mechanical unlocking mode during collisions—even if both batteries lose power, doors can still be opened manually. Xiaopeng Motor, another prominent player among China’s EV startups, recently echoed Xiaomi’s stance, stating it would not enter the sub-RMB-100,000 market. Xiaopeng CEO He Xiaopeng argued that low-priced, low-margin vehicles offer little value and stressed the importance of healthy competition. Xiaopeng’s most affordable model currently, the MONA M03, starts at RMB 119,800. Its premium GX model began pre-sales on April 15, with both BEV and EREV versions priced at RMB 399,800. The BEV variant offers a CLTC range of 750 km, while the EREV achieves a combined range of 1,585 km.