Xiaomi CEO shares his honest opinion on the Tesla Model Y

Xiaomi CEO Lei Jun has shared his thoughts on the Tesla Model Y after revealing the company bought three to carry out research. 

Xiaomi Auto was only founded in 2021, but it’s already made a big impact in the industry.

Its YU7 EV is pitted as a direct competitor for the ever-popular Tesla Model Y. 

Now, Xiaomi’s CEO has revealed his true feelings about the Model Y.

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Here’s what Xiaomi CEO Lei Jun had to say about the Tesla Model Y

When Xiaomi launched the YU7 back in June, it received a staggering 200,000 orders in just three minutes, which rose to 300,000 in an hour. 

Its staggering popularity led to the EV being branded ‘the Tesla killer’. 

Now, a few months on from the launch of the YU7, Xiaomi CEO Lei Jun has shared his honest thoughts on the car.

Speaking during his annual speech, Jun revealed that Xiaomi had bought three Tesla Model Ys to disassemble them and carry out research into the EV. 

And what he and saw left him seriously impressed. 

“We bought three Tesla Model Ys for disassembly and research inside Xiaomi earlier this year. What a great vehicle,” he said. 

Not only that, but the CEO even went so far as to say that if would-be EV owners didn’t like the Xiaomi YU7, they should consider getting themselves a Tesla Model Y instead. 

Jun has previously heaped praise on the Model Y, admitting that there was ‘a lot to learn’ from the EV and branding it a ‘leader in many aspects’. 

He’s also publicly congratulated Tesla on its autonomous taxis. 

Responding to a Weibo post from Tesla VP Grace Tao about its driverless vehicles hitting Austin, Jun said: “Tesla is indeed amazing, leading the industry trends in many areas, especially FSD. We still have to continue learning!” 

Jun has previously recommended cars from competitors

While Xiaomi CEO Lei Jun recommending the Tesla Model Y to folks who don’t fancy buying the YU7 may seem odd, it’s not actually the first time he’s made such a statement. 

Thanks to the staggering number of orders the YU7 received, customers were warned they could be facing a lengthy wait to get their new EV. 

But rather than telling people to sit tight, Jun made the unprecedented move to recommend competitors. 

“If you need to buy a car quickly, other China-produced new energy vehicles are pretty good,” Lei said on social media. 

He even recommended a handful of cars, including the XPeng G7, Li Auto i8, and – yep, you’ve guessed it – the Model Y. 

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