Xiaomi hiring in Sydney as SU7 and YU7 EVs eye Australian launch

Key takeaways

• Xiaomi is hiring Sydney staff to build its Australian car business.
• Right-hand-drive sales are reportedly planned from the first half of 2028.
• SU7 sedan and YU7 SUV expected to lead, rivalling Tesla’s Model 3 and Model Y.

Chinese tech giant Xiaomi is hiring in Sydney to build an Australian car business, all but confirming a local launch for its SU7 electric sedan and YU7 electric SUV.

The roles include executives to advise on local regulations and to establish a finance arm. Xiaomi hasn’t officially confirmed an Australian launch, but it reportedly told investors in April it plans to enter right-hand-drive markets from the first half of 2028.

Europe comes first. Xiaomi is due to begin sales in Germany from the second half of 2027 and has reportedly signed agreements with eight German dealer groups.

Xiaomi SU7 and YU7 expected to lead in Australia

The SU7 and YU7 are expected to front the brand’s export push. They compete broadly with the Tesla Model 3 and Model Y, and both have been hits at home. The SU7 has passed 200,000 sales, while the YU7 reportedly took 240,000 orders in its first 24 hours.

Performance versions sit at the top of the range. The tri-motor SU7 Ultra produces 1138kW, with a claimed 0-100km/h time of 1.98 seconds and a 350km/h top speed.

The YU7 GT uses two motors for 738kW and a claimed 300km/h top speed, and holds the Nürburgring lap record for SUVs. Its quoted 705km range is on China’s CLTC test cycle, which typically returns higher figures than the WLTP standard used in Australia.

Xiaomi develops these performance models at a technical centre in Germany, where it has hired former BMW M engineers.

In China, the brand also sells the Skynomad N70 and N90, more conventional SUVs that pair electric motors with a 1.5-litre turbo petrol engine acting as a generator. The N70 offers up to 310kW and up to 505km of electric range (CLTC). Xiaomi hasn’t said which models Australia will get.

Rather than leading with budget cars, Xiaomi reportedly plans to export mid-range and premium models first, then add cheaper ones later. That’s the reverse of how BYD, MG and Chery built their Australian presence.

Xiaomi’s sales and finances

Xiaomi was China’s ninth-best-selling car brand in September, helped by the SU7 and the new Skynomad models, though its sales were down 4.6% on the same month last year.

The car business is still losing money. Xiaomi lost about $5,300 on average for every car delivered between April and June 2026, down from almost $8,000 in the previous quarter. Those figures cover the car division together with other new ventures, though cars are believed to make up most of it.

No Australian pricing, specifications or launch date have been announced. Expect firmer detail as Xiaomi’s European rollout gets under way in the second half of 2027.