Photo/Li Xing (NBD)

In the bustling district of Daxing, Beijing, a car dealership stands out with its transparent glass walls and spacious interior. On March 23rd, NBD visited this Xiaomi car store to find it bustling with activity. The dealership, one of the first two Xiaomi 2S stores in Beijing, was undergoing final cleaning preparations for its grand opening.

The store, located in the Jingnan Yuntong Automotive Park, is set to welcome three Xiaomi SU7 vehicles on the evening of March 24th, in preparation for the static display scheduled for the next day. This event marks the beginning of a nationwide showcase across 29 cities and 59 stores.

The blue Xiaomi SU7 parked at the entrance, which drew a crowd, is not just a display model but an actual vehicle brought in for the staff to familiarize themselves with the product before it’s returned to the factory. The vehicle’s interior details remain confidential, as the pre-launch phase keeps many aspects under wraps.

The Xiaomi SU7 comes in two versions: a standard model with a 700-kilometer range and a MAX model exceeding 800 kilometers. The latter is equipped with a ternary lithium battery and dual motors, while the standard version features a lithium iron phosphate battery and a single motor, promising a more affordable price point.

Lei Jun, founder, chairman, and CEO of Xiaomi Group, has positioned the Xiaomi car as a “dream vehicle” for the new era of the automotive industry, rivaling the likes of Porsche and Tesla. He reassured consumers that despite the potentially higher price, the value would be evident after the launch event.

As the anticipation builds, the pricing remains a closely guarded secret, with sales personnel and even store managers in the dark until the official unveiling on March 28th. The success of the Xiaomi SU7 is not in question, but rather the ability to meet demand if the pricing proves to be highly competitive.

Xiaomi’s car production is planned in two phases, with the first phase’s facility spanning approximately 720,000 square meters and an annual capacity of 150,000 vehicles, completed by June 2023. The second phase is set to commence in 2024 and finish by 2025.

Lei Jun has outlined ambitious goals for Xiaomi cars, aiming for a sales target of 100,000 vehicles in the first year of mass production and striving to rank among the top five global car manufacturers within 15 to 20 years. The challenge lies not in attracting customers but in fulfilling orders promptly to avoid long wait times and potential customer frustration.

In the three months leading up to the Xiaomi SU7’s market debut, Xiaomi has focused on small-scale production, building a national sales, service, and delivery network, and conducting extensive testing to ensure impeccable quality, with executives personally logging over 100,000 kilometers in test drives.