Its competition hood costs 5,200 euros and does nothing

Everything seemed to go like a shot for Xiaomi in its first foray into the electric car. The company is selling as many cars as they are asked. In fact, the most provisional version of its electric car, the Xiaomi Su7 Ultra, accumulated as many reserves as cars expected to manufacture in a whole year In just over 10 minutes.

In your presentationXiaomi presumed to improve the figures of the Porsche Taycan Turbo GT, the most advanced version of the electric car (by the way, our companions of Motorpasion They have been able to try recently With competition package included), for a fraction of its price.

The data arsenal on the day of the presentation of Xiaomi was bestial. They attacked Porsche and Tesla by explicitly mentioning them, that the Porsche Taycan Turbo GT offers more than 1,100 hp? The Xiaomi Su7 Ultra arrives with 1,548 hp. Faster in 0 to 100 km/h. Faster in 0 to 200 km/h. Higher point tip …

And a scandal price. Because who aspired to enjoy the most advanced car options and reach maximum circuit performance, the Nürburgring package raised its price to 107,285.66 euros. Expensive? Well, Porsche Taycan Turbo GT is sold in China for 259,000 euros.

As you have been doing with any other technology product, Xiaomi has given more than anyone for least. In the automobile market they wanted to copy strategy. On paper, nobody gives such high list of specifications for the money to which they are sold.

The problem is that not everything is specifications. You have to fulfill. And not fulfilling can cause you an image crisis. At that point there is Xiaomi right now.

Your flag car is now an image crisis

Among the multitude of options that have been added to the Xiaomi Su7 Ultra was a competition hood. Carbon finished and with two air shots. That carbon hood is the last controversy for a company that has entered an image crisis with a car that already adds a couple of scandals.

According to CarnewschinaXiaomi has received more than 400 complaints from owners of its Xiaomi Su7 ultra because The aerodynamic competition hood that can be optionally mounted on its high performance electric Berlina is not worth anything. The media indicates that these 400 complaints are organized, giving voice to a group of people unhappy with the purchase performance.

The problem in question is that this aerodynamic hood, which costs $ 5,300 and, therefore, is a very expensive option (the base model costs $ 73,300) is nothing more than an aesthetic addition. The company sold that this addition acted as two air extractors, such as competition vehicles or very high performance combustion. These types of accessories improve cooling under the hood and allow the car to be better in those cases, they explain in Motorpasion.

However, a content creator dismantled the hood to teach his followers how the system works. The problem: it is not right at all. Among other things because, as their owners have discovered, there is no structural difference between a normal hood and that of “competition.”

The cooling of all systems is also liquid in the case of the Xiaomi SU7. The car does not need extract the heat generated But it also does not have the structure to dissipate the temperature. This has led to the clients who have joined the demand to speak of “false advertising” while demanding that “Xiaomi assume responsibility.”

That assuming responsibility is, at least, that the brand reimburses the cost of the hood, since it does not do the expected function. However, in Bloomberg They point out that 300 of them want to go further and ask that the full value of the car be returned.

For the moment, The company has asked forgiveness In social networks for what they consider an “unclear communication” of what was offered with that optional Nürburgring package and have proposed 20,000 fidelity points to spend in their store and replace the hood with the basic aluminum. Proposal that has been rejected by those affected.

The controversy of the hood is one more for the company that, until now, had sailed with the wind in favor. In fact, on May 10, Lei Jun (CEO D Ela Company) described the last weeks as “The most difficult since the Xiaomi Foundation“, referring to company and personal difficulties.

Those difficulties attend to controversy about the alleged car security. In April, three people died after An Xiaomi Su7 got fire As a result of an accident when passengers They circulated with the active autonomous driving system.

The dust raised around the accident and the consequent investigation seems to have a direct reaction about the Xiaomi Su7 Ultra by the company. In an update, the company hooded the car and removed more than 600 hp of power, claiming that a circuit test would have to be passed to activate them. Finally, The company has had to back down.

Photo | Xiaomi

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