Xiaomi made its first foray into the automotive industry with the launch of the Xiaomi SU7, an electric vehicle that began sales on March 28. In an impressive show of demand, the company received 88,898 orders within the first 24 hours, effectively selling out the 2024 allocation. The first deliveries are expected to take place in April, and the demand for test drives has been so high that slots are being booked as late as 3 a.m.
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However, the excitement surrounding the SU7 has been tempered by a series of accidents and negative reports. Even before the official launch, a test vehicle in Heihe City, where the car was being trialed in snowy conditions, collided with another car, resulting in significant front-end damage but no harm to the occupant compartment.
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As more test drives were conducted, Chinese media began reporting a slew of negative incidents, including issues with the suspension system that caused the body of the car to lower too close to the ground, rendering it immobile. In one instance, an SU7 was involved in a collision with a BMW Z4, resulting in minor damage to both vehicles.
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The most severe accident occurred at a busy intersection, where an SU7 in Aqua Blue lost control while merging lanes, with the rear end swinging wildly and the driver unable to regain control. This and other accidents have been attributed to a potentially faulty electronic stability control system, a lack of driver skill among the high volume of test drivers, and the car’s rapid acceleration capability, which can go from 0-100 km/h in 2.78 seconds in the SU7 Max variant.
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In addition to the safety concerns, 469 customers have complained about not receiving a refund of their $690 deposit, which Xiaomi initially promised to refund within seven days of placing the order. The company has attributed these cases to “user error.” In response to these issues, Xiaomi has made the pre-order process more difficult to prevent accidental orders.
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The Xiaomi SU7 is the company’s inaugural vehicle, designed with “inspiration” from European cars like the Porsche Taycan and McLaren. Priced between $29,900 and $41,500 for three main variants, the SU7 offers two levels of advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS): Xiaomi Pilot Pro and Xiaomi Pilot Max, utilizing ultrasonic, radar, and lidar technologies.
Xiaomi has not yet commented on the recent accidents involving the SU7, but with the high demand and ongoing deliveries, the company will need to address these concerns promptly.
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