Xiaomi YU7 Shockwave: After the traffic frenzy, will "aesthetic equality" become popular in car design?

"200,000 orders in 3 minutes! 289,000 orders in 1 hour!"

On June 26th, the Xiaomi YU7 rewritten the rules of competition in the automotive industry with a set of figures that are worthy of being recorded in the history of the automotive industry.

However, while making history, it also dragged Xiaomi Auto itself and the entire industry into a whirlpool full of opportunities and risks: production capacity crisis, negative impact on brand reputation, panic among competitors, design controversies... A new story in the automotive industry dominated by traffic is unfolding in an unprecedentedly dramatic way.

The curtain of the traffic feast has already been drawn, but beneath the feast, there are turbulent undercurrents.

Traffic is like water. It can carry a boat and also capsize it.

Xiaomi has had a previous experience of being "bitten back" by traffic.

On March 28th, 2024, Lei Jun stood under the spotlight and launched the Xiaomi SU7 into the market with a "tech gala" comparable to an Apple press conference. The achievement of over 10,000 firm orders in 4 minutes went viral on social platforms. At that time, Lei Jun was a "model entrepreneur", a "tech geek", and even a "god in the hearts of Mi fans".

However, just one year later, this "king of traffic" was deeply caught in a public opinion whirlpool - the Anhui highway accident, the controversy over the carbon fiber hood of the SU7 Ultra... The once - proud internet celebrity marketing became a double - edged sword that hurt the brand.

Water can carry a boat and also capsize it. The greater the traffic, the greater the controversy. It can be expected that in the future, netizens or peers will scrutinize the Xiaomi YU7 for flaws. If there is a slightest mistake, the familiar scenario will replay.

Lei Jun, who is well aware of the double - edged nature of traffic, obviously realized this potential hidden danger. What he is worried about is not only the negative impact from traffic but also the "killing with praise" from peers. After realizing this, he immediately took action.

On April 18th, Lei Jun turned a personal live - stream into a rumor - refuting session, trying to stop this "drama of deification". He responded to almost all the popular internet memes in the live - stream: he was not the top scorer in the college entrance examination, he never scored 700 points, and there was no cold 4 billion in his bank card during the low period of his life. He asked everyone to help refute these rumors.

Near the end of the live - stream, Lei Jun also said:

"I'm actually a socially - awkward person. Some people on the internet say that I'm really good at marketing. I'm speechless."

Ironically, this rumor - refuting live - stream aimed at "cooling down" itself became a phenomenon - level traffic feast: There were over 1.01 million people online at the peak of the live - stream, the total number of likes was approaching 200 million, the number of followers increased by over 830,000 during the live - stream, and it remained at the top of the hot list throughout the live - stream.

After the Xiaomi YU7 press conference on June 26th, Lei Jun once again accepted a group interview from the media and responded to the situation of Xiaomi Auto, as well as hot issues that the outside world is concerned about, such as the "negative impact from traffic" and negative public opinions that Xiaomi has experienced in the past.

"This is the environment we are facing today. No matter which company is popular, its public opinion is extremely complex. In response to the changes of this era, Xiaomi will be cautious in words and deeds, make every statement accurate, and do things well, because any flaw may be magnified."

The first "flaw" after the traffic subsided has emerged: As of July 2nd, the delivery cycle of the standard version of the YU7 is as long as 58 - 61 weeks, and even the top - end Max version needs to wait for 39 - 42 weeks. There are still over a hundred thousand backlogged orders for the SU7, and the YU7 has added nearly 290,000 new orders, with the cumulative number of orders to be delivered approaching 500,000.

According to relevant documents from Beijing Yizhuang, Xiaomi has been very aggressive in building factories to expand production capacity, but it is still far from enough. The monthly production capacity limit of the first - phase factory is only 25,000 - 30,000 units, and it is currently operating at full capacity. After the second - phase factory is put into operation, the initial monthly production capacity is insufficient, and it can only match that of the first - phase factory after making full efforts later. The third - phase factory is still in the planning stage, and it may not be put into production until 2026 at the earliest.

The "explosive sales" themselves have become a systematic risk. Facing a delivery cycle of over 50 weeks, some consumers have begun to think about a question: Do I really need this product, or am I just being swept up by the atmosphere?

Competitors Cut Prices to Counter the Impact of the YU7

The phenomenon - level "explosion of orders" of the Xiaomi YU7 has brought an undifferentiated shockwave to competitors, triggering a great panic in the automotive circle.

According to exclusive news from "LatePost Auto", XPeng internally adjusted the pricing of the G7 in a hurry. The pre - sale price may drop from 235,800 yuan to 209,900 yuan, breaking through the psychological barrier of 210,000 yuan. It is obvious that the purpose is to avoid the fatal edge of the YU7 by "cutting flesh to survive".

Zeekr responded even more quickly. On the day the YU7 was released, it offered a limited - time subsidy of 20,000 yuan and a maximum comprehensive subsidy of 54,000 yuan until July 31st. It is speculated that this move by Zeekr is probably affected by the Xiaomi YU7.

Models such as the LeDao L60, Zeekr 7X, IM LS6, Avita 07, and Voyah Zhiyin, which are in direct competition with the YU7, have suddenly faced heavy pressure on their sales positions. The scene at the Zeekr store in Hangzhou Olympic Sports Center is a microcosm: on the first weekend after the YU7 was released, the number of visitors to the showroom was halved (a year - on - year drop of 52%); the Zeekr 7X, which used to sell 3 - 5 units per day on average, only sold 1 unit in two days.

The worst - hit is the XPeng G7. Before its official release, it has already felt the pressure from the YU7. On He Xiaopeng's Xiaohongshu account, countless netizens said that the appearance of the XPeng G7 is not as good as that of the Xiaomi YU7. If the G7 looked better, they wouldn't buy the YU7. This intuitively reflects that under the influence of traffic, consumers' extreme pursuit of appearance has surpassed their consideration of brand history or technical parameters.

 Image source: Xiaohongshu

Everyone was gearing up to compete, but unexpectedly, Xiaomi became the most powerful one.

In order to counter the impact of the Xiaomi YU7, competitors have started a battle to grab orders. According to "21st Century Business Herald", brands such as IM, NIO, Zeekr, Zeekr, and Avita have all launched "intercepting" strategies.

Take NIO as an example. If you buy a NIO model, you can get a reimbursement of the 5,000 - yuan deposit for the YU7. If you choose a LeDao model, you can also get a 5,000 - yuan deposit reimbursement, but you need to apply and report through the store manager. If you buy a Firefly model, you can get a 2,000 - yuan deposit reimbursement.

Zeekr sales staff said that they can reimburse the YU7 deposit, but the policy varies by region. For example, in Sichuan, consumers who have placed an order for the YU7 and then switch to Zeekr may get points rewards. In Changsha, YU7 owners who switch to IM can get their deposit reimbursed. In Xi'an, after YU7 owners switch to IM, their deposit will be converted into an electric card fee, which can be used at most charging piles across the country.

Regarding the "intercepting" behavior of competitors, Lei Jun accepted it calmly and even recommended competitors' models. In the live - stream on July 2nd, Lei Jun said "If you are in a hurry to get a car, I think domestic new energy vehicles are all good. For example, the XPeng G7 to be released tomorrow and the Li Auto i8 to be released at the end of the month. Of course, the Model Y is also good."

At the same time, he also expressed his dissatisfaction with some competitors' behavior of grabbing orders by slandering: "To be honest, the content is not very accurate, and there is even some slander and distortion. I think it's unnecessary. Every product has its own advantages. If you are confident, just talk about your own advantages. There is no need to slander."

In any case, this "order war" unilaterally initiated by Xiaomi has forced the entire industry into collective anxiety. Competitors are vying for the remaining attention of consumers who are being swept up by the YU7 wave at all costs. It can be seen that in the era of traffic supremacy, a "blockbuster product" can instantly rewrite the rules of competition and turn all competitors into "panicked defenders".

In the Era of "Aesthetic Equality", Is Original Design Still Important?

The logic of car - making is simple: to sell cars. For a long time in the past, the consensus among car companies was that technology determines everything. However, the market's reaction to the YU7 tells them that appearance determines everything. This has forced the entire industry to re - examine a core question: In the war for consumers' attention, does the dignity of original design have to bow to the "traffic code"?

From the nickname "Porsche - Xiaomi" for the SU7 to the joke of "Ferrari - Xiaomi" for the YU7, the design language of Xiaomi Auto has always been on the boundary between high - end classics and subtle imitation.

On the day when the official pictures of the Xiaomi YU7 were released, Ferrari officially posted a meaningful post, showing its customized green model and emphasizing "family heritage and original spirit" in the caption, which was interpreted by netizens as an implication against Xiaomi.

Image source: Ferrari Weibo 

However, Shin, the design director of Xiaomi Auto, denied referring to Ferrari models in a video, and Lei Jun posted a message saying that "the Xiaomi YU7 inherits the family design of Xiaomi Auto, which is both a continuation and an evolution". From a legal perspective, Chinese patent law stipulates that appearance infringement requires a 1:1 reproduction of the five - view drawings. The YU7 has made changes in the hood lines and taillight details, so it is in a gray area of "skirting the law but not breaking it".

This kind of "look - alike" controversy is not the first time. Last year, the first model, the SU7, was nicknamed "Porsche - Xiaomi" because it looked like the Porsche Taycan. Porsche simply brushed it off with the phrase "great minds think alike".

Some netizens complained: "In the future, car - making will only have two steps - first, choose a luxury car as a benchmark, and then change the name and put on a label."

Image source: Xiaomi Auto

Under the impact of 200,000 orders in 3 minutes, it is hard for other car companies not to follow Xiaomi's car - making logic. It has shown all car companies, especially those struggling in the quagmire of sales, a seemingly "shortcut" survival rule:

Instead of investing huge amounts of money and a long time in original design exploration and core technology innovation, it is better to accurately "benchmark" the appearance of a luxury model that has been proven successful in the market and carry out rapid and low - risk "localized improvement".

Due to their status as professional managers, CEOs of traditional car companies may find it difficult to replicate similar marketing strategies, but they can copy Xiaomi's car - making approach pixel by pixel. "Electric Vehicle News" predicts that the classic design elements of brands such as Porsche, Ferrari, and Lamborghini will be repeatedly deconstructed and recombined in countless CAD drawings and become the blueprint for the next wave of "traffic - generating new cars".

Facing this trend, consumers' attitudes are divided. Some people cheer for this as "aesthetic equality", believing that it allows the general public to have the design aesthetics comparable to top - level supercars at the price of an ordinary brand, satisfying the "face" need.

However, others are deeply worried, believing that this is a collective defeat of brand original spirit and core confidence. In the long run, it will lead to serious homogenization of car design, stifle real innovation, and ultimately harm the long - term interests of consumers and the healthy development of the industry.

Conclusion

The achievement of 200,000 orders in 3 minutes is both a crown and a shackle.

This traffic - dominated feast will ultimately have to face reality. "Electric Vehicle News" also poses four questions:

1. In terms of production