2026 Xiaomi YU7 Coming for Tesla Model Y's Crown as China's Best Seller

Xiaomi have launched their second model in China – the YU7 electric SUV – set to compete with the Tesla Model Y. 

The YU7 has been met with an immense reception, with Xiaomi announcing on social media that over 289,000 orders had been received in the first hour and that over 240,000 non-refundable orders had been received after the first 18 hours. 

For reference, Xiaomi sold around as many YU7s as Toyota sold cars in Australia — across its entire range in 2024 — in just 18 hours. 

The Tesla Model Y — which the YU7 is set to rival — was the best selling car in China in 2024, with over 480,000 units sold. 

The YU7 undercuts its Tesla rival on price in the Chinese market, with prices starting from around the equivalent of $54,000 AUD as opposed to the Model Y’s Chinese starting price of around $56,000 AUD. 

Three trim levels are offered for the YU7: the standard model, the Pro and the Max. 

The standard rear-wheel drive YU7 arrives with a 96.3kWh battery capacity and a single motor producing 235kW and 528Nm, capable of 0-100km/h in 5.88 seconds. The standard car boasts the furthest driving range of the YU7 trio, good for a claimed 835km of CLTC range. 

The mid-spec YU7 Pro upgrades to a dual-motor all-wheel-drive setup with a combined output of 365kW and 690Nm, and a 4.27 second 0-100km/h time. The Pro model grade is capable of 770km of CLTC driving range. 

Finally, the high-performance Max variant arrives with an upgraded 101.7kWh battery and a combined 508kW and 866Nm output, capable of 0-100km/h in 3.23 seconds and a top speed of 253km/h. This variant has a CLTC range of 760km.  

Currently, the YU7 – along with its SU7 sedan stablemate – are only sold in China but the brand does have plans to expand its market internationally.

With the influx of Chinese vehicles exported to Australia, it’s not impossible that we could see the YU7 and SU7 sold locally in the near future, however details on Xiaomi’s international expansion are yet to be confirmed.