BEIJING — In a significant development for the electric vehicle market in China, Xiaomi's YU7 SUV has surpassed Tesla in sales for January. According to data from the China Passenger Car Association, Xiaomi sold 37,869 units of the YU7 last month, more than doubling Tesla's 16,845 Model Y sales.
This shift marks a noteworthy change from December, during which the Model Y was the best-selling vehicle. In January, the Tesla model fell drastically, ranking 20th in overall vehicle sales and slipping to seventh among new energy vehicles.
The sales figures, which include both electric and gasoline-powered cars, were released late Thursday through the online car sales platform Autohome.
Xiaomi introduced the YU7, their second electric car model, approximately six months ago during the summer of 2025. Known primarily for its smartphones, the Chinese tech company has made its intentions to challenge Tesla clear by pricing the YU7 at a competitive starting point 10,000 yuan ($1,450) less than the Model Y in China. Xiaomi has asserted that the YU7 outperforms Tesla concerning critical specifications like driving range on a single battery charge.