Lei Jun personally delivers first Xiaomi (小米) YU7 GT; brand ambassador Shu Qi (舒淇) joins livestreamed handover

Delivery and livestream

It has been reported that Xiaomi (小米) founder, chairman and CEO Lei Jun (雷军) personally handed over the first six YU7 GTs this morning in a livestreamed ceremony that included brand ambassador Shu Qi (舒淇). The handover was light on ceremony but heavy on showmanship — Shu Qi even joked about wanting ice cream after seeing Lei Jun on a previous stream, and Lei reportedly had staff prepare a treat to hand over during the broadcast. The move underscores Xiaomi’s use of celebrity marketing and livestream commerce to seed demand as it launches into the high end of the electric vehicle market.

Specs and market positioning

The YU7 GT, unveiled on May 21, is pitched as a “sports‑car‑grade SUV.” It is powered by the new V8s EVO “super motor,” with peak output listed at 1,003 hp and 738 kW, a 0–100 km/h time of 2.92 seconds and a top speed of 300 km/h. Xiaomi’s official guidance prices are RMB 389,900 for the base and RMB 429,900 for the fully equipped version. The car uses a 101.7 kWh ternary‑lithium battery on an 897V silicon‑carbide (SiC) high‑voltage platform; under CLTC the range is quoted at 705 km, and Xiaomi says a 15‑minute charge can add up to 570 km of range.

Why this matters

For Western readers: Xiaomi’s move is part of a broader push by Chinese consumer electronics firms into electric vehicles, leveraging software, brand recognition and direct‑to‑consumer channels in a crowded domestic market that includes NIO, Li Auto and Xpeng. It has been reported that rising geopolitical tensions and export controls on advanced semiconductors are increasing pressure on Chinese automakers to secure domestic supply chains for critical components such as SiC power electronics — a factor that will shape how quickly new models can scale and compete internationally. Whether the YU7 GT will win converts for Xiaomi in the premium EV segment remains to be seen, but the combination of high performance, celebrity-backed marketing and livestream spectacle is exactly the playbook Chinese tech firms have perfected.