Look: China's latest EV is a 'connected' car from smartphone and electronics maker Xiaomi

Xiaomi, a well-known maker of smart consumer electronics in China, is joining the country's booming but crowded market for electric cars with a sporty high-tech sedan.

The tech company said it would begin accepting orders in China via an app on Thursday night, after founder Lei Jun wrapped up a more than two-hour presentation on the SU7 car by announcing the much-awaited price range: 215,900 yuan to 299,900 yuan (about $30,000 to $40,000).

Government subsidies have helped make China the world's largest market for electric vehicles, and a bevy of new makers are locked in fierce competition. Most of the industry's sales have been domestic, but Chinese makers are pushing into overseas markets with lower-priced models, posing a potential challenge to European, Japanese and American auto giants.

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Lei was not bashful about that challenge, saying that Beijing-based Xiaomi aims to become one of the world's top five automakers in the next 15 to 20 years. It's hard to make cars, he told an audience in a live-streamed presentation at a convention centre, but added that it's cool to succeed.

The combined share of EVs and hybrids in China’s auto sales is likely to reach 42 per cent to 45 per cent this year, up from 36 per cent in 2023, according to Fitch Ratings. But the agency said in a December report that the competition could put pressure on automakers’ short-term market share and profitability.

Lei said Xiaomi would lose money on the basic model at 215,900 yuan, a price that undercuts the Tesla Model 3 in China. He claimed the SU7 outperformed the Tesla in most categories, though the top-line version falls short of the Porsche Taycan.

“There’s still a long way to go for our car to become a Porsche,” he said, but that if Xiaomi keeps striving for five to 10 years, “we will eventually surpass Porsche one day".

Known for its affordable smartphones, smart TVs and other devices, Xiaomi aims to capitalize on that technology by connecting its cars with its phones and home appliances in what it calls a “Human x Car x Home” ecosystem.

Lei presented the SU7 as a high-performance vehicle with a long range before highlighting its smart features, such as talking to a delivery person from the car when the doorbell rings at home. In a nod to the popularity of the iPhone, he said the system would be compatible with Apple as well as Xiaomi phones.

Tu Le, the founder of the Sino Auto Insights consultancy, said that Xiaomi is trying to close the loop by adding transportation to a product mix already integrated into its customers' personal and professional lives.

“The ability to seamlessly be a continuous part of someone’s life is the holy grail for tech companies,” he said in an emailed response. “You probably don’t know anyone in Beijing that doesn’t have at least one Xiaomi product, be it a mobile phone, computer, TV, (air) purifier, or tablet.”