What You Need to Know About the Chinese EV Loved by Ford's CEO — and Why You Can't Get It in the U.S. Ford CEO Jim Farley has been driving a Chinese electric vehicle, the Xiaomi Speed Ultra 7, for the past six months—and he loves it.

By Benjamin Zhang

Key Takeaways

  • Ford CEO Jim Farley praised the Xiaomi SU7, a new Chinese EV he's driving.
  • The Chinese electronics maker launched the SU7 in December with a starting price of about $30,000.
  • Xiaomi has said it's on pace to deliver 100,000 SU7 EVs to customers during its first year.
Guo Haipeng/VCG | Getty Images via Business Insider
Ford CEO Jim Farley said he'd been driving the Xiaomi SU7, a Chinese EV.

This article originally appeared on Business Insider.

Ford CEO Jim Farley said during a podcast interview that he'd been driving the Xiaomi Speed Ultra 7, a Chinese electric vehicle, for the past six months and that he didn't want to give it up.

"It's fantastic. They sell 10,000, 20,000 a month. They're sold out for six months," Farley said, calling Xiaomi an "industry juggernaut."

This raises some questions.

First: What's so compelling about this car? It's pretty rare to hear a chief executive publicly extol their direct competitor. Why is it so impressive?

Second: How did Farley get the car to the US? And why can't Americans get a car like that in the US?

Let's dig in.

What is the Xiaomi SU7?

The interior of a Xiaomi SU7

Xiaomi, which launched the SU7 last December, has said it expects to reach 100,000 customer deliveries by November. Costfoto/NurPhoto via Getty Images via BI

The SU7 is Xiaomi's first vehicle, arriving nearly three years after the Chinese smartphone and consumer-electronics giant announced plans to build an EV.

It unveiled the compact battery-electric sedan in December 2023 to great fanfare. Xiaomi has said it expects to reach 100,000 customer deliveries by November.

The SU7 was built in partnership with Beijing Automotive, one of China's largest carmakers. It also makes Hyundai and Mercedes-Benz vehicles for the Chinese market.

The Xiaomi SU7's key features

Xiaomi SU7

The SU7 offers Xiaomi Pilot, software designed for self-driving, self-parking, and car summoning. Costfoto/NurPhoto via Getty Images via BI

The SU7 comes in three versions — the SU7, the SU7 Pro, and the SU7 Max — that start at 215,900 yuan, or about $30,300. Even the most expensive version, the high-performance SU7 Max, won't break the bank with a starting price of 299,900 yuan, or about $42,100.

By comparison, the base Tesla Model 3 starts at 231,900 yuan in China, while the range-topping all-wheel-drive variant starts at 335,900 yuan.

The SU7's styling isn't terribly original, but it's attractive, drawing elements of its front end from the McLaren 750S supercar and its overall shape from Porsche's Panamera sedan.

Xiaomi su7

The shape of the Xiaomi SU7 resembles Porsche's Panamera sedan. Costfoto/NurPhoto via Getty Images via BI

The SU7 turns up the wow factor in the cabin. Though Xiaomi is best known outside China for its smartphones, the company is a consumer-electronics conglomerate that makes everything from TVs and smart speakers to connected housewares like lights and air conditioners.

The SU7 is integrated with other Xiaomi products, allowing for remote voice control of household appliances from the vehicle. It has a massive 16.1-inch infotainment screen with smartphone mirroring, and it offers Xiaomi Pilot, software that Xiaomi says allows for assisted self-driving and self-parking.

The interior of a Xiaomi SU7

The SU7 lets drivers control household appliances from the car using their voice. Costfoto/NurPhoto via Getty Images via BI

The car also features some impressive performance. Xiaomi says the range-topping SU7 Max can accelerate from 0 to 62 mph in 2.78 seconds, which bests the high-performance Model 3's time of 3.1 seconds.

Why you can't buy the SU7 in the U.S.

Xiaomi SU7 at the flagship Mi Home Auto store

Xiaomi is best known outside China for its smartphones. LONG WEI / Feature China/Future Publishing via Getty Images via BI

Xiaomi's EVs aren't available for sale in the U.S. The U.S. government imposes a 100% import tariff on Chinese-made electric vehicles, making it hard for U.S. residents to get their hands on them.

Farley said he flew the car to Chicago from Shanghai. It's possible he got it through an exemption that allows vehicles not approved for sale in the US to be imported for research and development.

So you probably won't see the car on US streets anytime soon — but it sure sounds like its elements could inspire future Ford EVs.

Benjamin is a business and transportation writer for Business Insider. He is a graduate of the Rutgers School of Law-Newark and the University of Georgia's Terry College of Business.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Side Hustle

This 30-Year-Old's $6,000-a-Month Side Hustle Started Making Money 'Immediately' — But He's Not Quitting His Day Job

Derrick Mathy works in orthopedic surgical device sales and is on a mission to bring people together in real life.

Employee Experience & Recruiting

Newsflash: Barbara Corcoran Doesn't Fly First-Class, and Neither Should Your Executive Team

Shark Tank star Barbara Corcoran doesn't fly first class, and for a good reason. Business decision-makers, take notes!

Growing a Business

The Training (and Business) Philosophy That Sets This Self-Defense Studio Apart

At Nomad Krav Maga, Shane Langwell teaches more than self-defense by helping students strengthen their confidence, resilience and a sense of community that extends beyond the gym.

Business Solutions

ChatGPT Isn't Cutting It for Busy Professionals Anymore

Find out where they're turning instead.

Business Ideas

70 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2025

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for entrepreneurs to pursue in 2025.

Business News

'Unprecedented in Our 53-Year History': Southwest Airlines Announces Its First Mass Layoffs Ever

The airline is eliminating 15% of its corporate workforce, including many in senior leadership positions.