Chinese language smartphone firm Xiaomi launched its YU7 electrical SUV in summer time 2025, taking direct intention at Tesla’s Mannequin Y.
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BEIJING — Xiaomi‘s electrical automobile enterprise has succeeded in dethroning Tesla in China, a minimum of in January.
The Xiaomi YU7 SUV ranked first in China by gross sales final month, with 37,869 items offered, twice as many as Tesla’s 16,845 Mannequin Y autos, based on knowledge from the China Passenger Automotive Affiliation.
The Mannequin Y, which was the best-selling mannequin in December, plunged to twentieth place in January. Amongst new power autos, it additionally fell from the primary place to seventh over the identical interval.
The figures embrace each electrical and gasoline-powered autos and have been printed late Thursday by on-line automobile gross sales platform Autohome.
Xiaomi began promoting the YU7, its second electrical automobile mannequin, roughly half a 12 months in the past in the summertime of 2025.
The Chinese language firm, finest identified for its smartphones, hasn’t been shy about its intention to tackle Tesla. Xiaomi launched the automobile at a beginning worth that was 10,000 yuan ($1,450) beneath the Mannequin Y in China. The corporate claimed the mannequin beat Tesla on key metrics resembling driving vary on a single battery cost.
Analysts final 12 months predicted the YU7 would take market share from the Mannequin Y, Tesla’s best-selling automobile in China. In December, the Mannequin Y ranked first in month-to-month gross sales, forward of BYD‘s budget-priced Qin Plus automobile. Xiaomi’s YU7 ranked third.
Month-to-month gross sales figures will be risky. Whereas the YU7 did outsell the Mannequin Y in October, the Xiaomi automobile didn’t rank first. Tesla has thus far been persistently stronger in gross sales.
Excluding gasoline-powered automobiles, Tesla ranked fifth in China gross sales final 12 months, whereas Xiaomi positioned tenth. For all of 2025, BYD led China’s auto market with over 3 million autos offered, adopted by Geely at 2.6 million, based on China Passenger Automotive Affiliation knowledge.
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The YU7’s sturdy gross sales in January got here regardless of an total slowdown in China’s electrical automobile market in current months.
Xiaomi’s earlier SU7 sedan has additionally confronted scrutiny following deadly accidents involving driver-assist options and electrically-powered door handles. Beijing has since banned hidden door handles, whereas automakers have began putting in exterior lights that point out when driver-assist is in use.
Like most Chinese language electrical automobile firms, Xiaomi additionally plans to increase abroad, together with into Europe subsequent 12 months.