In Beijing last week, Xiaomi EV unveiled its second vehicle and first SUV, a high-performance luxury model targeting “independent, confident, and dynamic elites.” The company pitches the new YU7 as being more than a taller version of its first car, the SU7 sedan, that delivers a refreshed experience in design, cabin comfort, safety, and smart capabilities.

The ground-breaking new car barrage comes after the company’s parent, one of the world’s leading smartphone companies, in October 2023 upgraded its strategy to embrace a “Human × Car × Home” smart ecosystem for personal devices, smart home products, and cars. In 2024, the new EV maker launched the impressive high-performance and low-cost SU7 sedan, and then the higher-performance SU7 Ultra variant. (See our coverage here and here, respectively.)

“After developing Xiaomi SU7 for ten months, we started working on the Xiaomi YU7,” said Xiaomi EV Design Chief Tianyuan Li. “It all starts with proportion, the essence of automotive design. We wanted it to inherit the sporty DNA from Xiaomi SU7, but for expressing power, it should have its own DNA. The hefty feel of an SUV can also be transformed into elegant tension.”

The new mid-to-large SUV is 4999 mm (196.8 in) long, 1996 mm (78.6 in) wide, and 1600 mm (63.0 in) tall on a 3000-mm (118.1-in) wheelbase, so slightly bigger than that of the principal competitor Tesla Model Y. The 3.11-m² (33.5-ft²) clamshell aluminum hood, the claimed largest in mass-produced vehicles, features up to 8 electric opening modes.

The YU7 upholds the brand’s claimed obsession with proportions, featuring a 3:1 wheel-to-body ratio, 2.1:1 wheel-to-height ratio, and 1.25:1 width-to-height ratio, for a low-slung high-performance SUV posture. Meant to enhance the high-performance aesthetic are a 1:3 “head-to-body ratio,” 680 mm (26.8 in) distance from the front wheel center to the brake pedal, and optional 275-mm-wide rear tires with sportier wheels.

Through optimization of more than 40 airflow refinement zones, the YU7 achieves a 59-km (37-mi) CLTC (China Light-Duty Vehicle Test Cycle) range improvement over pre-optimization figures with a drag coefficient of 0.245 (vs. the Model Y’s 0.22), resulting in what the company claims is a class-leading range among sports SUVs.

The new model inherits the SU7 sedan’s multi-duct aerodynamic architecture, incorporating 10 through-flow air channels and 19 optimized vents to manage airflow. The active grille features 100 automatically adjustable louvers, contributing an 18-count drag improvement. The clamshell aluminum hood’s seamless unibody construction reduces drag by 2 counts. The hollowed rear hatch spoiler underwent numerous design iterations, achieving a 10-count drag reduction. A new electric-flush door handle system maintains alignment with the body contours to enhance aesthetics and reduce aerodynamic drag.

Lighting is another example of the YU7’s design refinements. The new model revamps the signature “waterdrop” headlights from the SU7 with a “hollowed-out” design, the upper section of which incorporates air channels linked to the front hood vents, and illumination is enhanced with 180° ultra-wide-angle lighting.

The redesigned halo taillights are reshaped to accentuate the SUV’s more muscular rear profile. They feature premium ultra-red lighting with wavelengths greater than 632 nm for “unmatched” nighttime visibility.

“Lighting remains our most iconic design signature,” said Li. “The front lamps echo Xiaomi SU7’s defining contour and preserve the key elements—one line and two dots. The halo taillight features bolder angles, sculpts more powerful shoulders.”

The YU7 introduces three nature-inspired paint finishes: Emerald Green, Titanium Silver, and Lava Orange.

 

Upgraded steel-aluminum body structure

The YU7’s body structure has been comprehensively upgraded with more advanced materials. High-strength steel and aluminum alloys account for 90.2% of the vehicle’s composition, contributing to an impressive-for-SUV torsional rigidity of 47,610 N·m (35,115 lb·ft)/degree. The YU7 has successfully passed more than 50 passive safety development tests including both standard and above-standard scenarios covering crash standards under C-NCAP (China New Car Assessment Program) and C-IASI (China Insurance Automotive Safety Index) protocols.

The new vehicle’s armor-cage steel-aluminum hybrid framework engineered on Xiaomi’s Modena platform is comprehensively upgraded. The front-end collision energy absorption zone now measures 659 mm (25.9 in) for a larger crumple zone. The rear section continues to use the three-piece Hyper Die-Casting Floor from the SU7 engineered to withstand rear collisions at speeds of up to 90 km/h (56 mph).

A 1500-MPa (218-ksi) high-strength cross beam has been added to the underbody to significantly reduce the risk of battery pack damage from more-rugged SUV use. Providing enhanced protection for the battery cells in incidents such as underbody scrapes, the vehicle also features the same coating used in the SU7 Ultra with tear, scratch, and puncture resistance more than 10 times higher than traditional PVC coatings.

The YU7 introduces an upgraded application of 2200-MPa (319-ksi) ultra-high strength steel codeveloped with leading domestic companies, research institutions, and universities benefitting from Xiaomi’s AI algorithms that generated over 24 million formulations and conducted over 4000 rounds of experimental validation. Said to be the highest-strength hot-formed steel currently in mass automotive production, it delivers a 40% increase in tensile strength and a 24% improvement in yield strength compared to 1500-MPa hot-formed steel.

The 2200-MPA steel is used in multiple areas of the YU7 including all four door anti-collision beams, significantly enhancing passenger protection in side collisions. Compared to 1500-MPa beams, the front door’s load-bearing capacity increases by 52.4% and its energy absorption performance improves by 40.2%. For the rear doors, load-bearing capacity is enhanced by 37.6% and energy absorption by 25.4%.

The YU7 also features six hot-formed expansion tubes in the A- and B-pillars, forming an ”embedded roll cage” structure. This design increases the load-bearing capacity of the A-pillars by 35% and B-pillars by 70.5%, significantly enhancing cabin integrity in extreme scenarios such as underride collisions or vehicle rollovers.

 

Interior experience

Xiaomi EV says that the YU7 is able to blend dynamic styling with impressive vertical space optimization thanks to its CTB (cell-to-body) battery technology and reduced floor thickness.

The SUV delivers 1970-L (69.6-ft³) total storage capacity including a 141-L (5.0-ft³) front trunk and 678-L (23.9-ft³) main cargo area that expands to 1758 L (62.1 ft³)—vs. the Model Y’s 2041 L (72.1 ft³)—with the rear seats folded. The front trunk comfortably fits a 24-in suitcase and the rear area accommodates three more 24-in suitcases along with multiple backpacks and travel essentials.

The interior showcases luxury and eco-conscious materials with soft-touch surfaces on high-contact areas for a plush and premium feel. OEKO-TEX Class 1 certification provides hypoallergenic safety for infants and highly allergy-sensitive individuals. The Nappa leather seats have a finely pebbled rock-grain texture.

The SUV features zero-gravity front seats and power-adjustable rear seats for a more comfortable experience.

The front seats offer one-touch reclining and a 10-point massage targeting key acupressure body points. The driver’s seat incorporates a 12-layer structure to balance support and comfort with pressure-relieving foam for comfort on short trips and high-density memory foam for fatigue-free long journeys. The rear seats’ recliners enable electric adjustment between a 100-degree upright and 135-degree lounge positions.

A “layered design” with hidden air vents enables a slim dashboard that sits lower and further forward than traditional SUVs to enhance sportiness while improving the sense of spaciousness in conjunction with a 1.7-m² (18.3-ft²) panoramic sunroof.

Building upon SU7’s 16.1-in central touchscreen and dual rear entertainment displays, the YU7 introduces two innovations—an industry-first HyperVision panoramic display and a remote-control panel—to “redefine” automotive interfaces. The systems were engineered to create a connected, intelligent cabin environment that anticipates and adapts to occupants’ needs and establishes new claimed benchmarks for automotive human-machine interaction.

The HyperVision display employs a triple Mini LED screen array technology to display information on the lower windshield area. It delivers an expansive 1.1-m display with pro retina-level 108-PPD resolution and high 1200-nit peak brightness. The system combines an ultra-black coating with distortion-correction algorithms to deliver <1% reflectance (SCE), <0.01% light transmittance, and <1% distortion to minimize glare and ghosting while ensuring legibility in direct sunlight.

Designed for personalization, the display intelligently adapts to different user scenarios. Drivers benefit from optimally positioned speed and navigation projections within their natural sightlines, while front passengers can customize their entertainment experience with placement-adjustable music interfaces featuring real-time lyrics.

While driving, the system dynamically displays turn-by-turn guidance in the driver’s most comfortable viewing zone. When driver-assistance systems are engaged, they automatically switch to Simulate Reality road mapping, giving more information about real-time traffic conditions.

The different drive modes provide synchronized HyperVision visualizations of powertrain and air suspension adjustments for the vehicle’s configuration. The interface offers five modular information categories—instrument readouts, media controls, time zones, weather updates, and navigation—configurable to individual preferences.

Complementing this advanced front display is a remote-control panel that puts car control, navigation, and entertainment management at passengers’ fingertips.

 

Electric platform and chassis

On the powertrain front, engineers have refined their three self-developed core electric technologies—electric motor, power battery, and motor control unit—to better mix peak performance with precise energy efficiency control. The dual-motor all-wheel-drive YU7 has a peak total power of 508 kW for a 0-100 km/h (0-62 mph) acceleration time of 3.23 s and a 253-km/h (157-mph) top speed.

That performance is enabled by an evolved Xiaomi HyperEngine V6s Plus electric motor that uses segmented magnetic steel technology to significantly reduce losses, enhance efficiency, and increase CLTC range by 4 km (2.5 mi). Combined with an upgrade of power modules and optimization algorithms, the motor sees increases in maximum revolution speed to 22,000 rpm, peak torque to 528 N·m (389 lb·ft), and peak power to 288 kW.

The YU7 comes in three range variants: Standard, Pro, and Max.

The entry-level Standard delivers an optimistic 835-km (519-mi) CLTC range with its 96.3-kW·h battery, making it the longest-range SUV with a sub-100-kW·h battery in the mid-to-large-size pure electric category, according to the company. The four-wheel-drive configurations in Pro (96.3-kW·h) and Max (101.7-kW·h) variants deliver CLTC ranges of 760 and 770 km (472 and 478 mi), respectively, ranking first among four-wheel-drive pure-electric SUVs. [The Long-Range AWD Model Y Juniper with a 78.4-kW·h NMC battery achieves a 719-km (447-mi) CLTC range.]

The YU7 is equipped with an 800-V silicon-carbide-based platform with a peak of 897 V. The maximum charging rate reaches 5.2C, achieving a 10% to 80% charge in 12 min and a class-leading 620-km (385-mi) charge in 15 min.

On the chassis front, the YU7 is equipped with higher-specification hardware, including front double wishbone and rear five-link independent suspension, closed double-chamber air spring and continuous damper control, and Brembo four-piston fixed calipers.

The continuous damper control accurately matches road conditions to quickly adjust damping force and better balances rigidity and flexibility for greater comfort and sportiness. The adjustment range is 10% higher than that of Xiaomi’s SU7 Max, and the damping bandwidth is broader.

The closed dual-chamber air springs support five levels of height adjustment, with a maximum range of 75 mm (2.9 in) and a maximum ground clearance of 222 mm (8.7 in). Air spring stiffness can also be quickly adjusted, with a high and low stiffness difference of over 40%.

The YU7 has what Xiaomi EV calls a quadruple braking safety mechanism for more stable performance. Its shortest braking distance from 100 to 0 km/h is 33.9 m (111.2 ft) is comparable to a premium sports car.

 

Four-in-one domain control module

The YU7 has a significantly upgraded electrical/electronic architecture (EEA) headlined by a ”four-in-one domain control module” that integrates the domain controllers for assisted driving, digital cockpit, and vehicle central control with the telematics box.

The central processing unit consolidates dozens of functional modules, cutting the number of controllers by 75%, saving 57% of the space, and decreasing component weight by 47% from 6.85 to 3.6 kg (15.1 to 7.9 lb). It also optimizes energy efficiency across the entire system, with the EEA accounting for a 16-km (10-mi) range improvement and the Sentinel Mode reducing power consumption by 40%, adding more than 5 km (3 mi) of range.

The EEA platform has a 4-nm Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 cockpit chip for a smoother user experience and faster boot up, app launch, and touch response. OTA updates are also accelerated, completing in as little as 15 min—among the fastest in the industry.

Assisted driving is upgraded by Nvidia’s next-generation Drive AGX Thor compute platform,m built on a 4-nm process that delivers 700 TOPS (tera operations per second). The new Blackwell architecture provides stronger support for on-device LLMs (large language models) and delivers a better assisted-driving experience.

The upgraded EEA brings advanced communication technologies like an industry-leading dual 5G parallel communication network, a new ultrawide band key, and “first-to-launch” Wi-Fi 7. With three Bluetooth modules and dual Wi-Fi, the onboard hotspot is 83% faster while offering more IoT interfaces to establish a more open “Human x Car x Home” smart ecosystem.

The EEA has undergone comprehensive and rigorous reliability testing, covering over 17 environmental categories and 280 test scenarios. Its core boards have passed the Automotive Electronics Council’s AEC-Q104 automotive-grade tests, meeting over twice the industry standard for endurance testing.

 

Upgraded assisted driving hardware

The upgraded assisted driving hardware configuration is standard for every YU7. In addition to the Nvidia Thor chip, the system has one lidar, one 4D millimeter-wave radar, 11 high-definition cameras, and 12 “ultrasonic radars.”

The lidar can be used to sense more accurately in dark environments and identify special obstacles, according to Xiaomi EV. The detection distance reaches 200 m (656 ft), and the power consumption is reduced by 55%.

The 4D millimeter-wave radar has increased altitude information compared to 3D millimeter-wave types and greatly enhanced resolution and recognition distance. When following a car, the assisted driving system can enhance detection and warning capabilities when the followed car brakes suddenly. In bad weather, such as rain and fog, the 4D millimeter-wave radar can also better perceive traffic functions that are not visible to the naked eye. The maximum effective point cloud detection range for identifying cars is 200 m and for people is 100 m (328 ft).

Seven of the cameras are of the ultra-transparent anti-glare type with an ALD (atomic layer deposition) coated lens. The module adopts COB packaging technology to reduce the reflection of light inside the lens, increase the transmittance, achieve clearer and more transparent image quality, and effectively suppress the visual interference caused by backlight and glare.

The official sales launch of the YU7 is scheduled for July in China.