Tag Archives: Elon Musk

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Xiaomi Launches YU7: The $35K Electric SUV That Might Give Elon Musk Nightmares

In a move that could reshape the electric vehicle landscape, Chinese tech titan Xiaomi has officially entered the automotive sector with the launch of its first electric SUV, the Xiaomi YU7. Positioned as a direct competitor to Tesla’s Model Y, the YU7 combines aggressive pricing, impressive performance, and deep technological integration—elements that could make it a serious player in the EV market.

A Disruptive Debut

With a starting price of 253,500 yuan (approximately $35,360), the YU7 undercuts the Tesla Model Y, signaling Xiaomi’s intent to disrupt the market through both value and innovation. That strategy appears to be working. Within three minutes of opening pre-orders, Xiaomi logged over 200,000 inquiries, and within an hour, that figure climbed to nearly 289,000 orders. The result? A surge in Xiaomi’s stock value and an unmistakable message: Chinese consumers are ready for a new contender in electric mobility.

Specs That Matter

The YU7 will be available in three versions: Standard, Pro, and Max, with each variant designed to meet different user expectations—from daily driving to high-performance needs.

  • The Standard version is equipped with a 96.3 kWh LFP battery, rear-wheel drive, and delivers a remarkable 835 km of range under the CLTC cycle. It accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 5.88 seconds.
  • The Pro and Max variants boast dual-motor all-wheel drive setups, offering acceleration times of 4.27 seconds and 3.23 seconds, respectively.
  • The Max version further sets itself apart with 5.2C ultra-fast charging, enabling a 10–80% charge in just 12 minutes—a potential game-changer in EV charging convenience.

Luxury Meets Technology

Stretching over 5 meters in length with a 3-meter wheelbase, the YU7 offers a spacious and luxurious interior. High-end features include Nappa leather massage seats, a dual-screen cockpit, an advanced HUD, and full integration with Xiaomi’s smart home ecosystem. It’s a mobile extension of the smart home—just as connected and comfortable.

On the tech front, Xiaomi isn’t cutting corners. The YU7 includes LiDAR, 4D millimeter-wave radar, and NVIDIA DRIVE computing, showcasing its ambition in autonomous driving and safety. It’s a bold statement that Xiaomi isn’t merely entering the EV race—it’s aiming to lead it.

Market Focus: China First

Despite the buzz, Xiaomi has no immediate plans to expand the YU7 beyond China. With demand already outpacing production capacity, the company is laser-focused on satisfying domestic appetite first. For now, European and North American consumers will have to watch from afar as the Chinese market enjoys one of the most promising tech-driven SUVs to hit the roads in recent years.

With the YU7, Xiaomi has made a clear and confident entry into the EV world—backed by performance, technology, and massive consumer interest. If this momentum continues, Xiaomi could evolve from a smartphone brand into a major force in electric mobility. And if Tesla wasn’t watching closely before, it surely is now.

Source: Xiaomi

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Xiaomi Launches YU7: The $35K Electric SUV That Might Give Elon Musk Nightmares
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Musk’s tunneling firm will build a tunnel network in Dubai

Several years ago, Elon Musk presented the idea of creating tunnels across the US, which would be a revolution for public transportation. The first Loop was built under Las Vegas, and now he has floated the idea of ​​building a tunnel in Dubai.

Dubai is home to the world’s tallest building (Burj Khalifa) and other construction projects, and is one of the richest countries that can realize huge infrastructure projects. One of them is certainly the Loop system that will be developed in cooperation with the Dubai Roads & Transport Authority (RTA), which will mark the first expansion of the Boring Company outside the United States.

The plan is for the first Loop to be 17 kilometers long and have 11 stations, with a capacity of more than 20,000 passengers per hour. According to Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Loop will eventually expand to the entire Emirate of Dubai, and when fully completed, the system will enable the transport of more than 100,000 passengers per hour.

There are still many unknowns about this project, and what we do know for now is that, like in Las Vegas, the Loop will use only electric vehicles. Although the Boring Company did not specify which models are involved, many believe that they will be the new Tesla Model 3, Model Y and Cybertruck. Some believe that the recently introduced Robovan could also be used. The vehicles will reach speeds of up to 160 km/h, and whether they will use a fully autonomous driving system or will rely on human operators like in Las Vegas is currently unknown.

Source: Reuters

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Musk’s support for the AfD caused a drop in sales of Tesla cars in Germany

Is Elon Musk intentionally destroying Tesla? According to recently published data, in January Tesla recorded a drop in sales worldwide. The biggest drop in demand was in Europe, and the biggest reason was Musk’s interference in the German elections and support for the AfD party.

Last month, Musk hosted Alice Weidel, the leader of the AfD, on his social media platform for a 75-minute debate in which she falsely claimed that Adolf Hitler was a socialist. The AfD is also a party that calls for mass deportations of migrants and uses Nazi slogans in its campaign, and has been classified as right-wing extremist by Germany’s intelligence agency. Musk’s choice of sides has been criticized by both Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Christian Democrat leader Friedrich Merz, but also by customers who clearly do not support this behavior.

According to the KBA (German Federal Motor Transport authority), Tesla sold 1,875 fewer cars in the German market than in January 2024, with a market share of just 4 percent, a huge drop compared to January 2024 when they had a share of 14 percent.

At the same time, Tesla’s main competitors in Germany are recording sales growth. Volkswagen sold 6,521 more EVs than in the same period last year. In second place, surprisingly for some, is the Spanish brand Cupra, which delivered 2,520 more EVs in January compared to January 2024.

Tesla’s sales decline in Europe may not seem so big to some, because the electric car market has been very shaken in recent years. However, we should not forget the fact that 54 percent more EVs were sold in Germany in January than in the same month in 2024. This shows that the situation is more difficult than it seems.

Some believe that the upgraded Model Y, which is scheduled for the first half of 2025, could turn the situation in Tesla’s favor. Whether that will happen remains to be seen.

Source: KBA