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Xiaomi Faces Backlash as YU7 EV Buyers Confront Year-Long Delivery Delays

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Buyers of Xiaomi’s new YU7 electric SUV are voicing growing frustration after being told they may have to wait up to 60 weeks for delivery, despite paying a non-refundable deposit. The smartphone giant turned automaker received around 240,000 orders for the YU7 in the first 18 hours after sales opened last Thursday, but only a limited number of vehicles were available for immediate delivery.

By Tuesday, Xiaomi’s official app indicated wait times of 38 to 60 weeks, Reuters confirmed. More than 400 customer complaints have since been filed on the Sina Black Cat consumer complaint platform, with many saying they were unaware of the lengthy wait until after confirming their orders. Customers paid 5,000 yuan ($698) upfront and are now demanding refunds, citing concerns about EV tax exemptions expiring by year-end.

Xiaomi has not publicly responded, but CEO Lei Jun said he would address customer concerns in a livestream event on Wednesday via Weibo, where he has nearly 27 million followers.

The backlash mirrors earlier issues with Xiaomi’s first EV, the SU7 sedan, which debuted in March 2024. Though SU7 buyers initially faced seven-month delays, the car eventually outsold Tesla’s Model 3 in China from December onward. However, the SU7 brand image was hit by a fatal crash in March, and since then, Xiaomi has also faced complaints about unclear delivery schedules and optional feature configurations.

The YU7, Xiaomi’s second EV, is priced from 253,500 yuan ($35,360) — nearly 4% cheaper than Tesla’s Model Y, the best-selling SUV in China. Xiaomi has made clear its ambition to directly challenge Tesla’s dominance in China’s EV market.

To meet demand, Xiaomi is scaling up production at its Beijing factory, raising monthly output from 4,000 units in March 2024 to 28,000 in May, and is preparing to expand to two new factory sites nearby.

Still, unless transparency improves and production catches up, Xiaomi risks damaging its EV reputation — especially at a time when consumer trust and timely delivery are becoming major differentiators in China’s competitive electric vehicle landscape.

Xiaomi to Launch YU7 Electric SUV in July, Aims to Challenge Tesla’s Model Y in China

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Xiaomi, China’s tech giant and the world’s third-largest smartphone maker, announced Thursday that it will begin sales of its second electric vehicle — the YU7 SUV — in July, positioning it as a direct challenger to Tesla’s Model Y, the best-selling EV SUV in China.

The YU7 boasts a driving range of up to 835 kilometers (519 miles) per charge, surpassing Tesla’s redesigned Model Y, which has a maximum range of 719 kilometers (447 miles). Xiaomi did not disclose pricing or begin pre-orders but hinted that, based on configuration, the YU7 could be priced 60,000–70,000 yuan ($8,300–$9,700) higher than the Model Y’s base price of 263,500 yuan ($36,574).

“But we’ll talk about the price in July,” said Xiaomi founder and CEO Lei Jun during the product launch event.

Competitive Edge and Market Context

  • The YU7 is Xiaomi’s second EV following the SU7, a sporty electric sedan that launched last year with design cues from Porsche and competitive pricing under Tesla’s Model 3.

  • Since December, the SU7 has consistently outsold Tesla’s Model 3 in China.

  • Xiaomi has delivered over 258,000 SU7 units since launch, according to Lei.

Headwinds and Safety Concerns

Xiaomi’s growing EV business faces scrutiny after a fatal highway crash in March involving an SU7 in driving-assistance mode. The company has also apologized for unclear marketing practices that led to allegations of false advertising.

“We apologize for marketing that was not clear enough,” Lei acknowledged, amid efforts to restore consumer trust.

Beyond EVs: Xiaomi Chips Up Its Game

Alongside the YU7 announcement, Xiaomi unveiled its second self-developed chip, the Xring T1, following the earlier launch of its Xring O1. Lei claimed the Xring O1 rivals Apple’s A18 chip in performance — signaling Xiaomi’s deeper push into semiconductor self-sufficiency and hardware-software integration.

The simultaneous launch of smartphones, tablets, and EV innovations reflects Xiaomi’s ambition to become a vertically integrated tech powerhouse, blending consumer electronics, mobility, and AI-powered smart hardware into a unified ecosystem.

Xiaomi to Launch Self-Developed XringO1 Mobile Chip in Late May

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Xiaomi is set to unveil its latest in-house mobile chip, the XringO1, in late May, marking a renewed push into proprietary silicon development as competition heats up in China’s smartphone market. The announcement came from CEO Lei Jun on Weibo, though technical details remain limited.

Key Developments:

  • The XringO1 chip was reportedly built using ARM architecture and manufactured by TSMC using its advanced 3-nanometer (3nm) node — currently one of the most cutting-edge fabrication processes.

  • This move signifies Xiaomi’s return to high-end chip design, following earlier efforts like the Pengpai S1 in 2017, which was ultimately discontinued due to cost and complexity.

  • Xiaomi had since shifted focus to image sensors and power management ICs, but resumed processor development in 2021, according to sources familiar with the project.

Strategic Significance:

The launch positions Xiaomi to compete more directly with Apple and Huawei, both of which use custom-designed chips to drive hardware-software integration and performance optimization:

  • Apple has long utilized its own A-series and M-series chips, creating a tightly controlled ecosystem.

  • Huawei, despite U.S. sanctions, has pushed ahead with its Kirin chip series via SMIC.

Xiaomi’s goal is to use the XringO1 chip in its premium smartphones and tablets, potentially phasing in custom silicon to reduce dependency on foreign suppliers such as Qualcomm, which remains Xiaomi’s primary chip partner.

Market & Political Context:

  • The Xiaomi 15 Ultra, launched earlier this year, uses Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite, but future models could see a transition to Xiaomi silicon.

  • While U.S. export restrictions now limit TSMC’s ability to produce AI chips for Chinese clients at advanced nodes, smartphone chips — such as XringO1 — are currently exempt from those restrictions.

Xiaomi ranks as the world’s third-largest smartphone manufacturer, and its expansion into EVs, home appliances, and AI devices makes chip autonomy increasingly strategic.

Neither Xiaomi nor Qualcomm responded to requests for comment at the time of reporting.