Watch out Tesla, smartphone builder Xiaomi’s SU7 EV offers 434 mile range for under $30k
Apple may have bailed on its plans to build its own EV, but a Chinese competitor has completed the feat, and on paper, it has the makings to be one helluva first entry into the segment. Today, Xiaomi officially launched its first-ever EV, the SU7 – decked out with advanced battery tech, lightning-fast charging, and a mouth-watering range – all for starting MSRPs that will turn some heads. Oh, the smartphone manufacturer released a new phone model to match the new EV as well.
Although Xiaomi is making its case as a true competitor out of the gate in EVs, it has long been established as a trusted brand in China, manufacturing electronics based on an Internet of Things (IoT) platform, including smartphones, apps, laptops, home appliances, and scooters.
After seeing a decline in consumer electronics sales in the last decade, Xiaomi started turning its sights elsewhere, brainstorming how it could adapt its tech-savvy manufacturing expertise toward new lucrative ventures. It landed on EVs – a booming yet saturated market in China.
By 2021, Xiaomi Automobile was incorporated in China, and in two short years, the company was boasting faster-than-expected progress. By November 2023, we caught our first glimpse of Xiaomi’s first EV model – the SU7. A month later, the electronics company had officially unveiled the SU7 as a challenger to Porsche and who else but Tesla.
In February, Xiaomi shared plans to launch the new SU7 EV in Q2 of this year with hopes of capitalizing on its existing army of 20 million smartphone users. Today, the EV has publicly emerged to much acclaim, garnering an impressive amount of pre-orders in China in a very short window.
Xiaomi’s first-ever SU7 EV looks like affordable home run
Xiaomi held a live launch event for the SU7 EV in China today, posted in its entirety to its Weibo page. There’s a lot of exciting stuff to unfold here, so let’s dig in.
The SU7 arrives at a length, width, and height of 4,997 mm, 1,963 mm, 1,440/1,455 mm, respectively, with a wheelbase of 3,000 mm. Its size is comparable to the Tesla Model 3 (a clear competitor), albeit longer and slightly narrower. More on that in a minute.
Xiaomi shared that the SU7 EV will be sold in three different variants: Standard, Pro, and Max, as well as a limited-run Founders Edition of 5,000 units, of which Xiaomi states were the first built. The Standard and Pro trims sit atop a 400V platform, while the Max variant features an 800V platform, confirming speculation from leaked images we reported back in July 2023. Here’s how the trims vary on the spec sheet:
| Xiaomi SU7 Trim | Standard | Pro | Max |
| Architecture | 400V | 400V | 800V |
| Powertrain | RWD | RWD | AWD |
| Battery | 73.6 kWh BYD Blade |
94.3 kWh CATL Shenxing |
101 kWh CATL Qilin |
| CLTC Range | 700km (435 miles) | 830km (516 miles) | 800km (497 miles) |
| Power | 299 hp (220 kW) | 299 hp (220 kW) | 673 hp (495 kW) |
| Torque | 400 Nm | 400 Nm | 838 Nm |
| 0-100km/h Acceleration (0-62mph) |
5.28 seconds | 5.70 seconds | 2.78 seconds |
| Top Speed | 210 km/h (130.5 mph) |
210 km/h (130.5 mph) |
265 km/h (165 mph) |
| Fast Charge Time (10-80%) |
25 minutes | 30 minutes | 19 minutes |
| 15-minute DC charge | 350km (218 miles) | 350km (218 miles) | 510km (317 miles) |
In addition to impressive specs, the new Xiaomi SU7 EV is decked out with advanced technology, including a head-up display, Pilot Pro ADAS with vision (Pilot Max with vision and LiDAR on the top two trims), a mini fridge add-on, and a Dolby Atmos sound system (Max trim).
What’s most enticing, however, is that future Xiaomi SU7 customers will get the above perks for some ultra-competitive pricing overseas:
| Xiaomi SU7 Trim | Standard | Pro | Max |
| Starting MSRP | RMB 215,900 ($29,875) |
RMB 245,900 ($34,000) |
RMB 299,900 ($41,500) |
Remember that mention of the Tesla Model 3? It’s important to point out that Xiaomi is clearly gunning for the American automaker with the launch of the SU7 EV. For example, the Pro version of the SU7 costs the same as the entry-level Model 3 in China, with significantly better specs. In fact, Xiaomi founder, chairman, and CEO Lei Jun pulled no punches during the live launch event earlier today:
Many people ask me who the Xiaomi SU7 is built for. My answer is, isn’t it time for Tesla Model 3 users to upgrade?
In collaboration with today’s EV event, Xiaomi also launched a new line of smartphones that work with the SU7, complete in colors to match the vehicle’s exteriors (seen above). The hype has been real so far as Xiaomi opened up its books, reporting over 50,000 firm orders in just 27 minutes.
Xiaomi says initial deliveries of the Standard and Pro trims of the SU7 EV will begin in China in April, followed by orders for the Max in late April. Trust we will do everything we can to get a look at this new impressive EV up close soon.
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The all-electric luxury electric SUV is getting significantly cheaper. Lexus launched a new entry-level 2025 RZ trim with starting prices over $10,000 less than last year’s model. And you get just as much driving range.
2025 Lexus RZ electric SUV prices and driving range
Lexus launched its first dedicated EV last year, the RZ electric SUV. Starting at $55,175, the 2024 Lexus RZ 300e has a range of up to 266 miles.
The 2024 RZ 450e AWD, equipped with its dual-moto DIRECT4 system, has a range of up to 196 miles. Prices start at just under $60,000. Both models are offered in Premium or Luxury packages.
Lexus is drastically lowering prices for the 2025 model year. The 2025 Lexus RZ starts at $43,975, and that includes the $1,175 delivery fee.
At under $44,000, prices for the 2025 RZ start at over $10,000 less than last year’s model. The lower price tag comes as Lexus added a new entry-level RZ 300e FWD trim to the lineup.
The 2025 Lexus RZ 300e FWD still has an EPA-estimated 266-mile range (18″ wheels), so despite the lower price, it’s no loss from last year’s model. It’s powered by a 72.8 kWh battery pack from global leader CATL.
Lexus modified the subframe for the FWD model, replacing the rear eAxle from the AWD model. The result is a quieter, smoother drive.
Powered by a 71.4 kWh battery, the 2025 RZ 450e AWD has an EPA-estimated driving range of up to 220 miles (18″ wheels).
| 2025 Lexus RZ model | Starting Price* | EPA-estimated Driving Range |
| RZ 450e AWD | $48,675 | 220 miles |
| RZ 450e Premium AWD w/ 18″ Wheel | $52,875 | 220 miles |
| RZ 450e Premium AWD w/ 20″ Wheel | $54,115 | 196 miles |
| RZ 450e Luxury AWD | $58,605 | 220 miles |
| RZ 300e FWD | $43,975 | 266 miles |
| RZ 300e Premium FWD w/ 18″ Wheel | $48,175 | 266 miles |
| RZ 300e Premium FWD w/ 20″ Wheel | $49,415 | 224 miles |
| RZ 300e Luxury FWD | $53,905 | 266 miles |
The 2025 Lexus RZ is available in three grades. These include the new entry-level model, in addition to the current Premium and Luxury trims.
Inside, the electric SUV has a minimalistic feel with a standard 14″ infotainment with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto support at the center.
You can also opt for the available 10″ head-up display (HUD), Mark Levinson Surround Sound System, and a host of safety features.
The flat platform provides a spacious interior with 37.52″ of rear legroom, nearly as much as the second row of a Ford Explorer (39″).
With the 2025 model arriving at dealerships soon, Lexus is offering closeout prices on 2024 models with up to $18,500 in lease cash discounts. You can use our link to find the best offers on the Lexus RZ at a dealer near you today.
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Environment
‘Political malpractice’ if Trump undoes climate-geared Biden projects, outgoing U.S. energy secretary says
U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm speaks to the media on day five at the UNFCCC COP29 Climate Conference on November 15, 2024 in Baku, Azerbaijan.
Sean Gallup | Getty Images News | Getty Images
A potential decision by Donald Trump to walk back the Biden administration’s climate-geared projects would impact jobs in areas governed by the President-elect’s own party, outgoing U.S. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm told CNBC, urging consistency in Washington’s green transition policies.
Referencing the White House’s withdrawal from the Paris Agreement — a 2015 treaty in which nearly 200 governments made non-binding pledges to reduce greenhouse emissions — during Trump’s first mandate, Granholm said the U.S. pressed ahead with projects linked to the green transition that members of Congress wanted to undertake in their districts.
“We are now building all of these projects. We’re building batteries for electric vehicles, we’re building the vehicles, we’re building the offshore wind turbines, we’re building the solar panels. And all of those are factories. And those factories are in districts of members of Congress,” she told CNBC’s Dan Murphy on Friday at the COP29 U.N. climate conference held in Baku, Azerbaijan.
She estimated that 80% of the funding from U.S. President Joe Biden’s legacy bills — the Inflation Reduction Act and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law — went to U.S. districts represented by Republican leadership.
“It would be political malpractice to undo those opportunities when people are just now getting hired,” she said, stressing benefits to the manufacturing sector and noting that the business community of the world’s largest economy and oil producer now wants a clear course from Washington on its climate policy.
“This isn’t about in [the Paris Agreement], out, shifting back and forth. Let’s have a consistent practice,” she said.
When asked for a response on Granholm’s comments, Karoline Leavitt, a spokeswoman for Trump’s transition team, said the president-elect will “deliver” on the promises he made on the campaign trail.
International focus has now shifted on the shape of the U.S.’ future role in global climate policy, as Trump prepares to take the helm at the White House for a second mandate in January, following a sweeping victory against Democrat candidate Kamala Harris. Trump — who has yet to announce his own pick to lead the U.S. Department of Energy — put hydrocarbons at the front and center of his campaigning agenda, pledging to “end Biden’s delays in federal drilling permits and leases that are needed to unleash American oil and natural gas production.”
The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) in March said that the country already “produced more crude oil than any nation at any time” for the past six years to 2023, averaging a crude oil and condensate production of 12.9 million barrels per day that year — breaking the previous U.S. and global record of 12.3 million barrels per day recorded in 2019, during Trump’s first mandate.
Yet Granholm on Friday stressed that the clean transition is also “unleashed” and will take place regardless of who is leading the White House — and that ignoring climate change risks sacrificing Washington’s position as a frontrunner in the blooming decarbonization industry.
“Why would we take a second, a backseat to an economic competitor like China?” she asked. “They have an economic strategy, they want to be number one. So if we get out of the game, we’re just going to cede that territory all over again. It’s bad strategy for the United States and for workers and for communities across the country.”
As the world braces for the possibility of a second U.S. exit from the Paris Agreement, some climate activists note that the green transition has now gained a different global momentum than during Trump’s first turn at the White House:
“There is no denying that another Trump presidency will stall national efforts to tackle the climate crisis and protect the environment, but most U.S. state, local, and private sector leaders are committed to charging ahead,” Dan Lashof, U.S. director of the World Resources Institute, said in a Nov. 6 statement.
“Donald Trump heading back to the White House won’t be a death knell to the clean energy transition that has rapidly picked up pace these last four years.”
Granholm also identified potential support in Trump’s current entourage, which this week welcomed business tycoon Elon Musk as the president-elect’s choice to head a new Department of Government Efficiency, alongside conservative activist Vivek Ramaswamy:
“His right-hand man, Elon Musk, is somebody who has been strongly in favor of products that … address climate change. Obviously, he’s the founder of Tesla,” Granholm pointed out.
Musk’s environmental stance has come under question over the years, shifting from telling Rolling Stone magazine that “climate change is the biggest threat that humanity faces this century, except for AI” and backing carbon taxes to holding that the world needs hydrocarbon supplies as a bridge to renewable energy.
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