In the smartphone world, Xiaomi is considered by some to be the “Apple of China” due to its devices’ features and overall quality. And with the launch of the Xiaomi SU7, it appears that the smartphone giant is also looking to achieve the title of “Tesla of China.”
At a launch event in Beijing, Xiaomi formally launched its first vehicle, the SU7 all-electric sedan. Three variants of the SU7 are offered for now — the SU7 Standard, SU7 Pro, and SU7 Max. The vehicles are competitively priced, with the SU7 Standard starting at RMB 215,900 ($29,870), the SU7 Pro starting at RMB 245,900 ($34,000), and the SU7 Max starting at RMB 299,900 ($41,500).
#XiaomiSU7 offers a variety of customization options, allowing you to create a driving mode that perfectly suits you. #XiaomiEVLaunch #DrivingForward pic.twitter.com/cwe4PVbSYQ— Xiaomi (@Xiaomi) March 28, 2024
For context, the upgraded Tesla Model 3 Rear Wheel Drive (RWD) starts at RMB 245,900 ($34,000) and the Model 3 Long Range Dual Motor All Wheel Drive (AWD) starts at RMB 285,900 ($39,500) in China. At such prices, the SU7 effectively undercuts the Model 3 by about $4,000 in price, with the midrange variant of Xiaomi’s all-electric car costing the same as Tesla’s entry-level Model 3.
Safety is an essential part of #XiaomiSU7. This car features our steel-aluminum alloy armored cage for unmatched protection.
Every SU7 is equipped with 16 active safety configurations, giving you complete peace of mind on the road. #XiaomiEVLaunch #DrivingForward pic.twitter.com/WbxAcldiIc— Xiaomi (@Xiaomi) March 28, 2024
During the Xiaomi SU7’s launch event, Lei Jun, founder, chairman and CEO of the smartphone giant, noted that the all-electric sedan is targeting the same customers as the Tesla Model 3. “Many people ask me who the Xiaomi SU7 is built for. My answer is, ‘Isn’t it time for Tesla Model 3 users to upgrade?’” the executive noted.
#XiaomiSU7 Max lets you drive back onto the road with an incredible 510 kilometers of range in just 15 minutes of charging.
Even the standard SU7 isn't far behind, offering a 350-kilometer range boost in the same timeframe. #XiaomiEVLaunch #DrivingForward pic.twitter.com/9XkDfBKazH— Xiaomi (@Xiaomi) March 28, 2024
The Xiaomi SU7 was benchmarked against the Tesla Model 3, and it shows. As per the executive, the SU7 is better than the Model 3 on over 90% of its specifications. The Xiaomi SU7 is slightly larger than the Model 3, and its starting range of 700 kilometers (almost 435 miles) is higher than the base Model 3’s 606 kilometers. Lei admitted, however, that it would probably take Xiaomi 3-5 years to catch up to Tesla in terms of powertrain efficiency.
Our smart cabin features five top-of-the-line screens. Whether it's connecting your smartphone to your car or your car to your home, #XiaomiHyperOS ensures a seamless and smooth experience.#XiaomiSU7 #XiaomiEVLaunch #DrivingForward pic.twitter.com/td0f1i6P92— Xiaomi (@Xiaomi) March 28, 2024
The reception of Chinese consumers to the SU7 has been very positive so far. In the first 27 minutes after the company started accepting orders for the vehicle, Xiaomi was able to secure over 50,000 firm orders. Deliveries of the SU7’s “Founders Edition” are expected to begin on April 3, 2024.
Le Jun is a true Tesla fan, one of the early Model S owners in China. pic.twitter.com/paU6Eyt3Qt— Ray (@ray4tesla) March 28, 2024
While the Xiaomi SU7 is undoubtedly an impressive all-electric sedan, it should be noted that Tesla is a very difficult target to catch because the company just refuses to stay still. This is hinted at by the Cybertruck, whose key innovations like its 48V architecture and steer-by-wire system will likely trickle down to the company’s later vehicles. With this in mind, Xiaomi may find itself competing against a company that’s determined to prove that the “Tesla of China” is still Tesla.
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News
Ferrari Luce sold out for 2027 after design controversy
Ferrari’s first electric vehicle, the Luce, is fully sold out for 2027, according to CEO Benedetto Vigna.
Presenting third-quarter results, he stated: “Everything we plan to sell next year is already fully allocated. Client test drives, scheduled for next year, will help further boost demand. We have no critical issues, neither on manufacturing nor on the demand side. Obviously, the car is more complex because it has many new parts and many new technologies.”
First customer deliveries are expected before the end of 2026, with the model already commanding waitlists despite a turbulent debut.
The Luce is a five-seat, four-door liftback saloon—the longest Ferrari ever produced—powered by four electric motors producing approximately 1,035 horsepower.
It features an 800-volt architecture, a 122-kWh battery, a claimed WLTP range of around 329 miles, 0-62 mph acceleration in 2.5 seconds, and a starting price near €550,000 in Europe (roughly $560,800–$615,000 in the U.S. depending on configuration).
Developed in collaboration with Jony Ive and Marc Newson’s LoveFrom studio alongside Ferrari’s own Centro Stile, it represents a deliberate departure from the brand’s traditional mid-engine sports cars toward a more spacious, grand-touring format.
Its exterior has proven deeply polarizing. Unveiled in Rome in May 2026, the design features smooth, sweeping surfaces, a large glass roof, and restrained detailing that critics described as bland, generic, or more reminiscent of an Apple product or mass-market EV than a Ferrari.
Ferrari unveils its Luce EV, and its reception has been a disaster
Online reactions included memes comparing it to a Nissan Leaf or Polestar, while former Ferrari chairman Luca di Montezemolo publicly warned of “the destruction of a myth” and suggested the prancing horse logo be removed. Italian politicians and longtime owners joined the chorus of disappointment, and Ferrari’s shares dropped roughly 8% in a single day, erasing billions in market value.
Design experts noted the absence of the brand’s signature tension, aggression, and emotional drama.
Yet the controversy has not translated into weak demand among the ultra-wealthy clientele who actually buy Ferraris. Production volumes remain tightly limited, as reports suggest fewer than 500 units in the current year and a longer-term pace of roughly 600 annually through 2030, preserving exclusivity.
One early chassis sold for $40 million at auction. Vigna has indicated that seeing the car in person, along with upcoming client test drives, is expected to strengthen rather than weaken interest. Ferrari aims for fully electric models to comprise 20 percent of its lineup by 2030, with a second EV now delayed to 2028.
For a brand defined by scarcity and desirability, the Luce’s sell-out status suggests that among those who can afford it, the polarizing design has not proven to be a commercial liability.
Investor's Corner
Musk’s Tesla and SpaceX decline after Democratic Midterm sweep
Tesla and SpaceX shares fell on Wednesday after Democrats swept both chambers of Congress. The decline stood out as broader market securities recovered and turned positive, while both of Musk’s publicly traded companies lagged.
CEO Elon Musk already joked about the unsuccessful campaigning for the Republicans, but now the new party will make pretty drastic changes to how it handles Tesla and SpaceX, and those companies will adjust their outlook.
Let’s take a deeper look.
Tesla ($TSLA)
Tesla shares traded lower during the regular session after Democrats secured both the House and Senate. The stock was down 2.32 percent at around 1:45 p.m. on the East Coast, trading at around $389.30.
The pressure is tied to more than the raw scale of Musk’s political spending, estimated at $450–474 million this cycle with roughly $224 million directed at Texas. In that state, Tesla now faces a Democratic governor and a Democratic senator after Gina Hinojosa unseated Greg Abbott and James Talarico defeated Ken Paxton.
The Austin Gigafactory, Robotaxi pilot programs in multiple Texas cities, and any related AI compute expansion sit under a new state executive who campaigned against certain corporate subsidies and floated a moratorium on new data-center construction.
Federally, Democratic control of key committees opens the door to deeper examination of Tesla’s autonomous-driving safety record, federal energy-storage and manufacturing incentives, and the national-security implications of any combination with SpaceX.
Investors are also weighing whether the company’s historically close alignment with the prior Republican leadership will invite slower permitting, additional hearings, or tighter rules on Full Self-Driving deployment.
For Tesla, the political shift adds near-term friction around state permitting and federal regulatory approvals for autonomy and energy storage. A potential merger with SpaceX may face slower review even if it proceeds.
Core growth drivers such as vehicle deliveries, energy deployments, and robotaxi rollout remain intact, yet the stock now carries a higher political-risk premium that could weigh on valuation until the company demonstrates workable relationships with the new Texas leadership and congressional majorities.
SpaceX ($SPCX)
SpaceX shares also declined in live trading on November 4 following the Democratic midterm sweep. The stock traded at $134.97, down 4.49 percent. The drop occurred even as broader indexes stabilized, highlighting a company-specific reaction to the election outcome.
Musk’s large contributions, concentrated in Texas races that both companies lost, place SpaceX’s Starbase launch facility and headquarters under a new Democratic governor.
At the federal level, Democratic control of Congress enables greater scrutiny of NASA, the Department of Defense, and other contracts that support a meaningful share of revenue, along with reviews of Starlink national-security uses and any Tesla merger. Analysts have noted that empowered committees can hold hearings and request documents on these relationships.
For SpaceX, the results raise the risk of delayed contract awards, higher compliance costs, and tighter constraints on AI and satellite infrastructure expansion, particularly in Texas where a data-center moratorium has been discussed.
A merger with Tesla could encounter political friction that slows integration of launch, connectivity, and autonomy capabilities.
While Starlink growth and launch cadence continue as primary drivers, the company faces a more contested path for federal funding and state-level operations, requiring management to rebuild ties with the new congressional majorities and Texas leadership to limit the overhang.
News
Tesla registrations in Germany nearly quadruple in October
Tesla’s new vehicle registrations in Germany rose sharply in October, nearly quadrupling from the same month a year earlier. That’s according to data from the KBA, Germany’s federal motor transport authority.
The KBA reported 2,932 Tesla vehicles registered in October, a 290.9 percent year-over-year- increase. For the first ten months of the year, Tesla’s cumulative registrations reached 47,742 units. This number is up 206.1 percent compared with the January-October period of 2025. These gains occurred against a backdrop of strong overall growth in the BEV sector as a whole.
Germany registered 94,086 new BEVs in October, a 79.5 percent rise that brought the BEV share of the passenger car market to 37 percent of the 254,492 total cars registered that month.
🇩🇪 Tesla’s new registrations in Germany nearly quadrupled in October, according to KBA data.
October: 2,932 units, +290.9% YoY Jan–Oct: 47,742 units, +206.1%
Germany’s overall BEV market grew 79.5% to 94,086 units last month. https://t.co/GMwNqsFAOC
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) November 4, 2026
Despite the percentage surge, Tesla’s absolute numbers left it with a 1.2 percent share of all new car registrations for October. Chinese competitors did record higher volumes, as BYD registered 5,173 vehicles, a 2 percent share, Leapmotor with 3,661 cars, which equates to 1.4 percent, and Xpeng had a 0.5 percent share.
Year-to-date through October, BYD edged ahead of Tesla with 47,961 registrations versus Tesla’s 47,742.
The October results follow a notably strong September for Tesla in Germany, when it registered 12,552 vehicles, an increase of roughly 269 percent year-over-year and one of its strongest monthly totals on record in the country. That month, the Model Y led all EVs and ranked among the top-selling vehicles of any powertrain.
The figures form part of a broader recovery in Tesla’s European registrations after an extended period of softer demand. While monthly volumes remain subject to typical quarter-end patterns and competitive pressure from both established European brands and rapidly expanding Chinese manufacturers, the year-to-date growth indicates improved traction in Europe’s largest car market.
Tesla’s Gigafactory Berlin-Brandenburg continues to supply the region, positioning the company to capture a share of the expanding German BEV market as overall EV adoptions looks to be accelerating.