In China, The Xiaomi YU7 Outsells The Tesla Model Y

The electric YU7 surpassed Tesla’s Model Y in sales in China in October. The company also introduced a new customization service with more than 100 colors, in contrast to Tesla’s strategy.

Xiaomi’s electric SUV YU7 is taking the Chinese market by storm. Just a few months after its official launch, sales of the model have skyrocketed, and in October, it even managed to surpass the previously untouchable Tesla Model Y. However, buyers outside of China are still eagerly awaiting the moment when Xiaomi will offer its electric cars on the global market.

Last month, Xiaomi sold an impressive 48,654 vehicles in China, of which 33,662 were YU7 models, making the SUV overtake the SU7 sedan. For comparison, Tesla built about 61,500 Model Ys in the same period, but 35,400 of those were exported to foreign markets. That means roughly 26,100 Tesla SUVs were sold in the domestic Chinese market.

Xiaomi is estimated to have shipped around 70,000 units of the YU7 to customers since it began shipping in July. Such a rapid rise for a new entrant suggests that the SUV has certainly caught the fancy of Chinese buyers.

Buoyed by excellent sales results, Xiaomi unveiled its new Customization Service at the Guangzhou Auto Show. The YU7 Max was displayed in a striking Crystal Purple color.

The new service is essentially Xiaomi’s version of Porsche’s “Paint to Sample” program, with plans to introduce more than 100 new colors over the next three years. This is a stark contrast to Tesla’s strategy, which offers customers a very limited selection of colors and trims in order to achieve greater production efficiency and higher profit margins.

While the full color list hasn’t been announced yet, Xiaomi has confirmed that the special finishes will cost 11,000 yuan (around $1,500). Through the Customisation Service, customers can also choose from different aluminium wheels and coloured Brembo brake callipers.

For those with more extravagant tastes, Xiaomi will also offer 24-karat gold badges or black-and-white emblems with gold-carbon fibre details.

• Also See: Xiaomi Has Already Produced Its 500,000th Vehicle