Xiaomi to launch its new YU7 this week as a potential game-changing SUV
About one year after first catching wind that EV newcomer Xiaomi Automobile was working on an SUV we’d come to know as the YU7, the company is finally set to launch the new model in China. This will be a direct competitor to the Tesla Model Y and has the potential to reimagine the all-electric SUV market in China.
It’s pretty wild to think about the massive success (and growth) Xiaomi Automobile has had in four years since the Chinese smartphone developer announced it would also start building BEVs. Much of that early clout in the market has come from its flagship model, the SU7 sedan, which hit the market in 2024 and saw 200,000 customer deliveries in a lightning-fast 119 days.
Shortly after launching the SU7, Xiaomi shared that it was already developing a second model—an all-electric SUV to compete against the Tesla Model Y in China. By June 2024, we had our first spy images of the SUV, followed by news in December that it was called the Xiaomi YU7.
Other than some images (one of which you can peep below), Xiaomi’s details of the YU7 have remained light. Following the December 2024 naming announcement, some of the core details of the SUV became available via a regulatory filing in China.
That filing said the Xiaomi YU7 measures 4,999 mm in length, 1,996 mm in width, and 1,600 mm in height and has a wheelbase of 3,000 mm. The SUV weighs 2,405 kg (5,302 lbs) and can reach a top speed of 253 km/h (157 mph). The lone model in the filing featured front and rear motors with a peak power of 220 kW and 288 kW, respectively. A Lithium-ion ternary battery from CATL will power those motors, but its capacity was unknown at the time.
At that time, Xiaomi also said the YU7 would launch in June or July of 2025. According to a recent Weibo post from the young automaker, the new SUV will officially be unveiled this week.
Xiaomi YU7 will be unveiled in China on May 22
Per the post, Xiaomi intends to officially unveil its new YU7 SUV during a product launch event in Beijing on May 22. The event will mark a “new beginning for Xiaomi’s 15th anniversary.” In addition to the YU7 debut, Xiaomi will launch its first mobile system on a chip (SoC) called the “Xring O1,” the 15S Pro smartphone, and the 7 Ultra Tablet.
We hope to learn more about the Xiaomi YU7 during this event and see if the tech company can confirm some of its 2024 regulatory filing specs. Launching the YU7 earlier than initially targeted fits Xiaomi’s mode of operation, but it could also be a strategic move from an optics perspective.
The debut of an exciting new vehicle could offer a new and positive topic of conversation surrounding the Xiaomi Auto brand, as it has faced a significant amount of public backlash in China following a SU7 crash that killed three people in late March.
As a result, SU7 sales have slightly decreased, but the young automaker continues to deliver over 20,000 BEVs to new customers month after month. The YU7 should only bolster those numbers when deliveries begin. We’d imagine that will be soon following the May 22 unveiling, scheduled for 7 PM Beijing time. Stay tuned.
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Shares of USA Rare Earth jumped in extended trading Thursday, after CEO Barbara Humpton told CNBC that the rare earth miner is “in close communication” with the White House.
Humpton’s comment comes after the Trump administration took a 5% equity stake in Lithium Americas this week. The Defense Department took a 15% stake in rare earth miner MP Materials in July.
“We are in close communication with the administration,” Humpton told CNBC’s Morgan Brennan when asked whether USA Rare Earth was interested in a deal with the Trump administration.
USA Rare Earth stock year to date.
USA Rare Earth shares were last up about 8% after hours. Its stock gained 23% in regular trading Thursday and has nearly doubled this year.
“This is a field where it will not be a zero sum game,” Humpton said of the rare earth supply chain. “It’s going to take a lot of players to build out this marketplace.”
USA Rare Earth is developing a mine in Sierra Blanca, Texas, and a magnet production facility in Stillwater, Oklahoma. Humpton said she supports the Trump administration’s deals with MP and Lithium Americas.
“What we’re doing is keeping the administration informed of our own plans,” she said.
The adminstration has said it is making the investments to help support the industry and break U.S. dependence on China.
Environment
Tesla applies for patent to make Cybertruck look even more ridiculous but more efficient
Tesla has applied for a new patent that would make the Cybertruck look even more ridiculous than it already does, but it would also make towing more efficient.
The Cybertruck is one of, if not the most, polarizing vehicles of all time, and its design is primarily to blame.
Much of the design is due to the use of stainless steel panels and the attempt to make pickup trucks more aerodynamically efficient.
Tesla has managed to improve on the drag coefficient of the average pickup truck.
However, it doesn’t help much with towing a trailer, which is going to catch a lot of that drag.
Tesla has now applied for a new patent on a device that would help push wind over a trailer towed by the Cybertruck.
The American automaker wrote in the abstract of the patent application:
An inflatable aerodynamic deflector to reduce drag and enhance efficiency. Constructed from drop stitch material, it forms one or more air chambers between parallel skins. The component includes a pressure regulation mechanism and diverse attachment interfaces such as rail systems, magnetic fasteners, and quick disconnect clips, distributed along the vehicle for secure mounting. This component acts as an aerodynamic deflector, optimizing airflow around conveyances, especially combination vehicles like tow vehicles and trailers.
In short, Tesla is working on an inflatable device that could sit on the bed of the Cybertruck and rise to close the air gap between the truck, thereby extending the angle of the windshield over the trailer.
Here are some of the drawings from the patent application
Electrek’s Take
To be fair, companies often apply for patents on products that they don’t have concrete plans to bring to production, and this could easily be the case here.
That’s especially true for the Cybertruck.
The program is so much smaller than Tesla anticipated, and with smaller volumes, it makes less sense to launch accessories.
That said, I’m pro everything that makes driving more efficient, regardless of whether it makes a vehicle silly.
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The 2026 Hyundai Kona Electric lineup will be offered in a single trim, but at least it’s the most affordable one.
Here’s the new 2026 Hyundai Kona Electric lineup
With the IONIQ 5 stealing the spotlight, Hyundai is downsizing the 2026 Kona Electric to just one trim — the base SE model.
Hyundai didn’t provide prices, but the 2025 Hyundai Kona Electric SE was the brand’s most affordable EV, starting at just $32,975. The SEL, Limited, and N Line trims will not be offered for the 2026 model year.
In another blow, Hyundai is also dropping the Long Range battery, meaning the 2026 Kona Electric will only be available with the Standard Range battery.
The Long Range 64.8 kWh battery offers a driving range of up to 261 miles, while the Standard Range 48.6 kWh battery delivers a driving range of just 200 miles. The only other change is that the SE trim will now include a larger console tray.
With new models arriving, like the 2026 Nissan LEAF and the 2027 Chevy Bolt EV, the Kona Electric will no longer be one of the few EVs starting under $35,000.
Nissan claims the 2026 LEAF “has the lowest starting MSRP for any new EV currently on sale in the US” at just $29,990. The new LEAF also offers significantly more range, with over 300 miles, and features a NACS port for recharging at Tesla Superchargers.
While it’s cutting the Kona Electric lineup, Hyundai appears to be focused on its top-selling EV for 2026, the IONIQ 5.
Following the expiration of the federal EV tax credit, Hyundai reduced prices on the 2026 IONIQ 5 by up to nearly $10,000 on certain trims. The 2026 IONIQ 5 now starts at just $35,000. It’s also extending the $7,500 credit for 2025 models.
Is the Kona Electric on its way out with the IONIQ 5 now available for about the same price? Either that, or Hyundai will have to cut prices on the Kona EV to stay competitive.
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