A simple “Okay” can sometimes say a lot. It was with this laconic message that Lei Jun, CEO of Xiaomi, responded to the launch of the restyled Tesla Model Y, suggesting an intense electrical confrontation.
The new Tesla Model Y 2025, the one called Juniper, has been presented. Lei Jun, CEO and founder of Xiaomi, has already reacted.
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He posted a simple “Okay” posted on Weibo in response to Tesla’s announcement, which hides an apparent confidence in Xiaomi’s future SUV, the YU7, scheduled to launch in summer 2025.
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This reaction follows a provocative message from Tesla on WeChat, claiming that their new Model Y can be compared to any competitor, implying its indisputable superiority.
Lei Jun, with his 25 million subscribers on Weibo, didn’t need more than a word to suggest that Xiaomi has more than one trick up its sleeve.
Lei had no further comments, but was apparently suggesting that Xiaomi’s YU7 SUV is more competitive against the new Model Y.
The highly anticipated YU7
As a reminder, Xiaomi showed its YU7 SUV at the end of 2024, but we don’t know much about it at the moment.
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However, the technical specifications of the YU7 were revealed by the Chinese Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, which show Xiaomi’s ambition.
With its imposing dimensions (4,999 mm long, 1,996 mm wide, 1,600 mm high), the YU7 is clearly positioned in a category superior to the Model Y. Longer, but its engine combines two 220 kW electric motors and 288 kW, which promises performance as good as that of the Tesla Model Y.
The Tesla advantage: lightness and efficiency
So how does the YU7 compare to the Juniper Model Y? The restyled Model Y, more compact and lighter (1,921 kg compared to 2,405 kg for the YU7), should offer better energy efficiency. The Long Range version of the Model Y, with its 719 kilometers of CLTC range, sets a new record in its category.
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The looming battle between these two tech giants goes well beyond a simple technical comparison. It symbolizes the emergence of new players capable of challenging Tesla on its own ground, which promises consumers a welcome diversification of the range of high-end electric SUVs. Xpeng, Nio, Zeekr… Tesla has serious challengers in China.
It remains to be seen whether the confidence shown by Lei Jun will translate into a product capable of rivaling Tesla’s proven experience and effectiveness.
The Chinese market, particularly dynamic in the electric car sector, will be the first theater of this confrontation.
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Source: www.frandroid.com
