Xiaomi boss Lei Jun has always admired the Tesla Model Y. However, the new EV maker went a step further while developing its own YU7 by buying the former for a complete teardown.
According to Lei, who delivered his annual speech at the Beijing National Convention Center this week, Xiaomi engineers disassembled three Tesla Model Ys and were impressed by what they found. He stated, with a huge screen behind him comparing the two electric SUVs, “We bought 3 Model Ys at the start of this year, disassembling the parts one by one, and studied every component, one at a time.”
Lei recommended the rival Tesla Model Y, saying, “If you don’t choose YU7, you can consider Model Y.” He added, “I’m not criticizing the Model Y. The Model Y is a very, very outstanding car.”
While the CEO revealed that his own team learned from the leader, he asserted that his product “definitely does not lose to the Model Y.” Lei compared the YU7 and Model Y’s batteries and concluded that the former offered excellent value for money.
Lei is on record as encouraging customers to consider the Tesla Model Y. The unusual advice came after his own company was overwhelmed by demand for the YU7, which received more than 240,000 orders following its launch in June. Buyers had to endure a 56-week wait before taking delivery of their car in China.
Renewable Brief 