Will these crashes cripple Xiaomi SU7 sales so badly the brand has to shut down?
Xiaomi’s debut into the automotive industry with its all-electric SU7 sedan generated significant interest among local buyers, promising technology and performance comparable to top players like Tesla and Porsche but at a fraction of the cost. However, it is not all sunshine and rainbows for the brand as before it could even truly start, it may already be the end.
Despite its attractive starting price of 215,900 yuan (approximately RM142,683), the base model Xiaomi SU7 boasts impressive specs, over 700km of range and 295hp, leading to an influx of 50,000 orders within 27 minutes of its launch and 88,898 orders within 24 hours. Yest, this same momentum is not being carried right now and in fact, it is the opposite today.
Moreover, the post-launch period has been marred by challenges as the extended delivery wait times plague consumers, with those ordering the Xiaomi SU7 Pro facing an 18 to 21 week wait period and SU7 Max buyers having to wait up to 30 weeks. Clearly, these wait times aren’t sitting well with customers in China.
Additionally, there are also complaints from buyers struggling to obtain refunds for cancellations, despite Xiaomi’s promised policy of refunding deposits within seven days of order placement. The brand attributes some refund issues to user error, clarifying that locking in orders before the seven-day period renders them non-refundable.
To mitigate accidental orders, Xiaomi has also adjusted its website’s order process. Furthermore, reports have surfaced of demonstrators losing control of the SU7 on Chinese social media, prompting questions about the vehicle’s traction control system and highlighting concerns about driver handling of its significant power, especially in the highest-spec models boasting 663hp and instant electric torque.
On top of that, despite these setbacks, Xiaomi’s entry into the automotive market signifies a bold move, capitalising on consumer demand for affordable yet high-performance electric vehicles (EVs). The sad thing is, that with so many issues surfacing so early on, the brand won’t even have a real chance to prove itself.
However, it also says something about Xiaomi and the quality of the SU7 EV as it has barely been out for a week and it is already facing problems that even budget cars don’t typically exhibit. Of course, this may just be a system issue and not a vehicle issue but that doesn’t change the fact that loss of life may occur as a result.
We got all this from Carscoops and their full article is linked here. Thank you Carscoops for the information and images.
