100,000 electric cars later, Xiaomi CEO touts himself as China’s electric car maker

Xiaomi founder, chairman and CEO Lei Jun took a page directly from Elon Musk’s playbook – quite literally – and then added his own twist. To mark the production milestone of 100,000 SU7 electric cars, Lei Jun posted a photo of himself napping on the factory floor, a nod to Musk’s famous claim that he did the same thing in Tesla’s early years, although he didn’t explicitly Name his American counterpart.

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The Xiaomi boss shared the photo on social media with the text: “Netizens urged me to go to the factory to tighten the screws. In fact, I go there often. I arrived very early this morning. I came too early and was in the workshop I slept for a while. Unexpectedly, when I woke up, one hundred thousand sets were completed!”

More: Ford CEO drives Xiaomi SU7 electric car every day and loves it

He continued: “From the release of SU7 to today, it only took us 230 days to produce 100,000 units! As a newcomer in the automotive industry, this speed is already remarkable. We will hold a ceremony for the 100,000th unit to roll off the assembly line later.”

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This brazen move, of course, refers to Musk’s well-documented habit of treating Tesla factories as glorified crash pads during the Model 3 “production hell.” Musk has publicly admitted that he has used factories in California and Nevada as his “primary residence” for three years, a period during which production has faced serious challenges.

Coming back to Xiaomi, the SU7 will be launched in December 2023, but production will start in April 2024. With a silhouette that echoes the Porsche Taycan, a McLaren-esque nose and Lincoln-style taillights, it’s clear the design team had more than a few influences in mind.

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Despite its impressive specs and cutting-edge technology, the SU7 is priced lower than the Tesla Model 3 in China, starting at 215,900 yen ($30,000). The range-topping model, the Kogi SU7 Ultra, is priced at 814,900 yen ($112,500) and recently set a world record for a four-door electric car with a lap time of 6:46.874 at the Nürburgring. Not bad for a brand known more for smartphones than sports cars.

However, while the 100,000-unit milestone is a notable achievement, Xiaomi still loses money on every electric car it produces—not surprising, as this is a reality for most newcomers to the EV space . Analysts say the company may reach a break-even point once annual sales reach 300,000 to 400,000 vehicles. Ji Guowei, director of Xiaomi’s electric vehicle factory, revealed that the company delivered 20,000 SU7 units in October alone.

Xiaomi’s CEO announced a follow-up video titled “Xiaomi Smart Chassis Pre-Research Technology,” highlighting the company’s advancements in electric vehicle (EV) technology. Since its establishment, Xiaomi Motors has claimed to have adopted a fundamental approach, investing ten times more than industry standards to develop core technologies and produce high-quality cars.

Millet