Xiaomi is set to introduce the SU8 SUV into the EV market. Due to launch later in 2024, the SU8 SUV will become the second in Xiaomi’s auto line and is reported to operate on battery-electric and range-extender options.
The Chinese smartphone company announced its entry into the automotive industry with the SU7 sedan, which recorded 50,000 orders within the first half hour of launch. Following its debut success, Xiaomi is reportedly finalizing work on its electric SUV.
We don’t know much about Xiaomi’s new addition, but chances are that the SUV will be named SU 8. If nothing else, we are confident the SU8 will further solidify Xiaomi’s innovative style in the automotive industry with its sleek profile. While we await the official announcement, here’s what we’ve gathered from rumors and speculations.
A Sleek Outlook
Going by available unofficial CGI illustrations of the SU 8, the SUV draws inspiration from the slanting roofline of the SU 7 sedan. It also has similar headlight and taillight designs, but there’s hardly any more that it inherits from the older model as far as aesthetics is concerned.
Although Xiaomi has not revealed much about the SU 8’s appearance, it looks like it took some inspiration from some performance SUVs. Pictures show similarities in proportion to the Porsche Cayenne, but overall, it appears closer to the Ferrari Purosangue than any other SUV. For example, it features rear-hinged back doors (a.k.a “suicide” doors) and hidden back door handles, present features on the Prancing Horse’s first SUV. We await more details from the automaker, but we can already predict that the SU8 will be a head-turner.
Extra Power with Range-Extending Options
The SU 8 is set to feature an innovative extra-range option that will allow it to run on both battery-electric and range-extending powertrain systems. Among other statements, the innovative extra-range options are Xiaomi’s way of saying they came into the EV game with guns blazing—or rather, engines revving!
Contrary to expectations that the SU 8 will be modeled on the Modena platform like the SU 7, Xiaomi’s new SUV will sit on a new platform. This means we could get single-motor and range-extender versions for extra comfort and lasting performance on a single charge.
Pricing and Prospect
There is no official price yet, but rumors have it that SU 8 could cost between $41,000 and $55,000, putting it in the same price range as the AITO M7 and Li L7. If Xiaomi fulfills its promises, the SU 8 would be a value-for-money buy. From the luxury feel to next-level tech to the luminous design and the new range-extender powertrain, the SU 8 guarantees extra performance and sustainability you won’t get from some of its competitors when it hits the roads.
Xiaomi might not be the only company to expand from smartphone production to automobiles; Sony and Huawei are also shifting gears to car building. However, Xiaomi’s disruptive inputs boldly state they’re taking no prisoners. Upon release, SU 8 will be looking to outdo the success recorded by the SU 7 sedan and further boost Xiaomi’s market value in the global EV industry.
We can’t wait to experience the SU 8’s futuristic design, driver-assistance tech, and range-extender option. If the speculations are right, Xiaomi could release the SU 8 SUV as early as Q4 2024.
