Xiaomi CEO explains why its EV mysteriously appeared on American roads despite not being sold there
Published on Feb 11, 2026 at 10:41 PM (UTC+4)
by Ben Thompson
Last updated on Feb 11, 2026 at 5:41 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Emma Matthews
When this Xiaomi YU7 EV was spotted on an American road, it caused a lot of confusion as it’s not sold in the US – meaning the Xiaomi CEO had come forward with an explanation.
On Weibo, brand CEO Lei Jun clarified that there were currently no plans for it to enter the US market.
But how does that explain a Xiaomi YU7 Max electric SUV that was photographed in California with Illinois manufacturer license plates?
Well, it turns out there was a surprising reason behind this.
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The Xiaomi CEO came out with a statement regarding this mystery car
Xiaomi may be a Chinese success story, but the car brand has fans around the world.
From tearing up the Nürburgring to wowing Marques Brownlee, the brand has been going from one PR success to another.
Although this brand is technically impossible to buy in the US, they can still be driven on temporary permits.
One Wall Street Journal journalist got to experience the SU7 this way, and she was left with one thought after driving it for two weeks – she never wanted to buy an American car again.
Suffice to say, there’s been a lot of buzz about this brand, but it’s largely elusive for American buyers.
So you can imagine the chatter that occurred when the Chinese EV Xiaomi YU7 Max was spotted on the I-5.
A photo of the car was shared to Chinese social media platform RedNote before later making its way to Reddit.
When images of the EV were shared online, some social media users hoped it was a sign Xiaomi would be officially landing in the US.
Now, Xiaomi CEO Lei Jun has taken to a Chinese social media site to clear things up.
“A while ago, a Xiaomi Yu7 was spotted driving on a California highway with local test license plates,” he wrote.
“Many people asked me if Xiaomi was preparing to enter the US market.
“My answer is: we currently have no plans to enter the US market. I suspect that this Yu7 was purchased by a US competitor or supplier as a benchmark vehicle.”
So there you have it.
Admittedly, this isn’t the answer many would have been hoping for, but at least this might stop people from getting false hope too soon.
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Taking a closer look at the car that’s been called a ‘Tesla killer’
When the YU7 was first released, it was selling like hot cakes with 300,000 units being ordered in an hour.
Unfortunately, that came with delays of up to 60 weeks.
Still, when customers get their hands on the YU7, they’ll have an impressive 519 miles of range to play with.
The dual-motor YU7 Max puts out 681hp and goes from 0-62mph in just 3.2 seconds.
That’s significantly quicker than the Model Y Long Range AWD, which does the same in 4.3 seconds.
The base model of the Chinese EV is expected to start around ¥250,000 in China, or about $34,700.
Xiaomi’s Milestones: from budget tech to the ‘Tesla killer’
2010 – Xiaomi is founded: The company launches in Beijing with a focus on affordable tech
2011 – First Xiaomi smartphone released: Xiaomi enters the phone market with the Mi 1
2014 – Becomes China’s top smartphone brand: Xiaomi rapidly climbs the ranks thanks to aggressive pricing and online sales
2020 – Expands into smart home dominance: Xiaomi grows its ecosystem into one of the world’s biggest connected-device platforms
2021 – Xiaomi announces its EV ambition: The brand confirms it will begin developing electric cars
2023 – Xiaomi SU7 revealed: The company officially unveils its first electric car, targeting Tesla-level performance
2024 – First SU7 deliveries begin: Xiaomi enters the EV market officially, with strong demand and rapid early sales
2025 Expansion plans accelerate: Xiaomi pushes EV scaling, new models, and global growth ambitions
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Following stints at LadBible, The Sun, The New York Post, and the Daily Mail, Ben joined the team full-time in February 2025. In his role as Senior Content Writer, his sparkling copy, the ability to sniff out a good story at 100 paces, and a GSOH quickly led to him becoming an integral and invaluable member of the writing staff.
