‘Tesla killer’ Chinese EV that sold record 300,000 units in an hour backfires as customers face year wait

The ‘Tesla killer’ Chinese EV that sold 300,000 units in an hour is now leaving customers with a year wait.

The Xiaomi YU7 was selling like hot cakes when it first launched.

However, only a small number of the cars will be ready for immediate delivery.

With others facing waits between 38 and 60 weeks, complaints are mounting.

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The ‘Tesla killer’ Chinese EV has been attracting some complaints

A lot has been said about the ‘Tesla killer’ in recent months.

Xiaomi’s YU7 SUV has been generating a lot of press, thanks partly to its impressive 519 miles of range.

So great was the hype that 240,000 orders were placed within the first 18 hours after it was launched.

But things have fallen short already, as only a small number of cars will be ready for immediate delivery.

For most interested parties, they’re looking at waiting times of between 38 and 60 weeks, Reuters reported.

This has led to more than 400 buyers lodging complaints on Sina’s Black Cat consumer complaint platform.

Many were demanding a refund.

However, to place an order, they had to pay a non-refundable deposit of $697.97.

Many disgruntled buyers claimed that they were only made aware of the long waiting time after they’d placed their order.

And with a tax exemption for EVs set to expire at the end of this year, that has raised concerns about further delays.

Tesla had a few challengers over the years

This isn’t the first time that Tesla has faced some rivalry in the EV market.

You may recall the Zeekr 001 FR also got branded with the ‘Tesla killer’ label.

And that’s not forgetting other EV brands that have come to the forefront in recent years, like BYD and Li Auto.

With BYD making big waves in markets in the UK and Europe, it’s safe to say the age of Tesla dominance is no longer guaranteed.

In China, the Tesla Model Y is currently the best-selling SUV.

Xiaomi’s CEO Lei Jun has made no secret of his ambition to take that top spot.

We reached out to Xiaomi for comment, but have yet to receive a reply.

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