Xiaomi's SU7 Ultra Disrupts High-End EV Market, Commits to AI Investment
Xiaomi's SU7 Ultra is making waves in the luxury electric vehicle sector, signaling a commitment to invest in artificial intelligence.
TroibNews 
Xiaomi's introduction of the SU7 Ultra on Thursday disrupts the luxury electric sedan segment. The car starts at a price of 529,900 yuan, which is 35 percent lower than its initial pre-order price of 814,900 yuan announced in late October. A limited-edition version of this luxury electric vehicle, with undisclosed specifications, continues to retail for 814,900 yuan.
Customers who order the SU7 Ultra by the end of March will benefit from lifetime free access to Xiaomi's Human-centric Autonomous Driving system, an end-to-end intelligent driving technology valued at 26,000 yuan, as announced by Xiaomi's founder and CEO Lei Jun during the launch event.
He also referred to Tesla's recent update to its autopilot software in China, noting that it "has gone viral over the past two days, but still needs to pay more than 60,000 yuan."
The SU7 Ultra features a tri-motor powertrain with a track-optimized battery pack, unleashing a maximum horsepower of 1,548. The vehicle impressively accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in just 1.98 seconds and reaches a top speed of 350 km/h. Notably, a high-performance version of the SU7 Ultra set a Nürburgring lap record in November, completing the 20 km course in 6 minutes and 46.874 seconds, outpacing the previous records set by the Rimac Nevera and Porsche Taycan Turbo GT.
In comparison, the ZEEKR 001 FR, introduced in 2023, has a quad-motor setup that produces 1,265 horsepower and accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 2.07 seconds, priced around 749,000 yuan.
ZEEKR has asserted that no other carmaker will match their manufacturing capabilities in the next five years, a claim that Xiaomi has swiftly contested, given its rapid advancements in just two years.
**AI Integration**
At the same launch, Xiaomi also presented the Xiaomi 15 Ultra smartphone, which features the Snapdragon 8 Supreme Edition chip and supports dual-satellite communication.
The smartphone includes a high-performance antenna array and three communication chips, optimized by AI to enhance communication performance and minimize latency in gaming and live streaming.
It allows for network-free calls, enabling two-way communication over distances of up to 7 kilometers. In collaboration with China Telecom and Alibaba's workflow app DingTalk, the Xiaomi 15 Ultra introduces an innovative satellite data communication feature that enables users to send images and instant messages via the DingTalk app even when only satellite networks are available. A significant aspect of this technology is the AI-enhanced image compression and decompression system on the device, which effectively reduces data size for transmission.
Additionally, the phone is capable of direct satellite connectivity with two satellite networks, BeiDou and China Telecom's TianTong. With a starting price of 6,499 yuan, it is set to launch on March 3.
Xiaomi plans to invest 30 billion yuan in research and development, with AI-related initiatives expected to account for up to one quarter of this budget, as stated by Lei at the event.
In a recent symposium on China's private enterprises, he shared with China Media Group that both he and his company are committed to integrating AI technologies into their end products.
"We are committed to integrating the latest AI technology into various end products, enabling consumers to experience the wonderful life brought by technology," stated Lei.
Read more: Who are the tech giants attending the symposium with President Xi?
Aarav Patel contributed to this report for TROIB News
Customers who order the SU7 Ultra by the end of March will benefit from lifetime free access to Xiaomi's Human-centric Autonomous Driving system, an end-to-end intelligent driving technology valued at 26,000 yuan, as announced by Xiaomi's founder and CEO Lei Jun during the launch event.
He also referred to Tesla's recent update to its autopilot software in China, noting that it "has gone viral over the past two days, but still needs to pay more than 60,000 yuan."
The SU7 Ultra features a tri-motor powertrain with a track-optimized battery pack, unleashing a maximum horsepower of 1,548. The vehicle impressively accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in just 1.98 seconds and reaches a top speed of 350 km/h. Notably, a high-performance version of the SU7 Ultra set a Nürburgring lap record in November, completing the 20 km course in 6 minutes and 46.874 seconds, outpacing the previous records set by the Rimac Nevera and Porsche Taycan Turbo GT.
In comparison, the ZEEKR 001 FR, introduced in 2023, has a quad-motor setup that produces 1,265 horsepower and accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 2.07 seconds, priced around 749,000 yuan.
ZEEKR has asserted that no other carmaker will match their manufacturing capabilities in the next five years, a claim that Xiaomi has swiftly contested, given its rapid advancements in just two years.
**AI Integration**
At the same launch, Xiaomi also presented the Xiaomi 15 Ultra smartphone, which features the Snapdragon 8 Supreme Edition chip and supports dual-satellite communication.
The smartphone includes a high-performance antenna array and three communication chips, optimized by AI to enhance communication performance and minimize latency in gaming and live streaming.
It allows for network-free calls, enabling two-way communication over distances of up to 7 kilometers. In collaboration with China Telecom and Alibaba's workflow app DingTalk, the Xiaomi 15 Ultra introduces an innovative satellite data communication feature that enables users to send images and instant messages via the DingTalk app even when only satellite networks are available. A significant aspect of this technology is the AI-enhanced image compression and decompression system on the device, which effectively reduces data size for transmission.
Additionally, the phone is capable of direct satellite connectivity with two satellite networks, BeiDou and China Telecom's TianTong. With a starting price of 6,499 yuan, it is set to launch on March 3.
Xiaomi plans to invest 30 billion yuan in research and development, with AI-related initiatives expected to account for up to one quarter of this budget, as stated by Lei at the event.
In a recent symposium on China's private enterprises, he shared with China Media Group that both he and his company are committed to integrating AI technologies into their end products.
"We are committed to integrating the latest AI technology into various end products, enabling consumers to experience the wonderful life brought by technology," stated Lei.
Read more: Who are the tech giants attending the symposium with President Xi?
Aarav Patel contributed to this report for TROIB News
