While waiting to get their hands on a European model in order to pass it under the caudine forks of our measures, journalists from the Chinese automotive media Sohu confronted the SUV with the exercise of the road. If the Xiaomi Yu7 with a large battery promised until 750 km of autonomytheir autonomy test at an average speed of only 99 km/h reveal an important difference with reality.
Xiaomi yu7, a promise against reality
Displayed at 750 km of Autonomy CLTC on technical sheet, the Yu7 Max advances as a champion of Chinese autonomy. In practice, The independent test led by Sohu has delivered a much less flattering result: 483 km on a highway, before displaying 0 km on the on -board computer, for a battery of 101,7 kWh. With a tour carried out at 99.6 km/h on average, two people on board, the air conditioning set to 24 ° C and Michelin tires of 21 inch swollen at 2.9 bar, the test got closer to a reality of use according to the trials. By pushing to the end, the car finally traveled 492 km Before the total stop – a “reserve” of 9 km after the gauge indicated zero. Unfortunately, according to Sohu’s journalists, it is still proof that the promise of having tamed “anxiety of autonomy” is still a vow.
Indeed, the “autonomy rate” collapses in the face of Xiaomi announcements: barely 65 % of the official figure, This places the YU7 in the low average of the market. But this test also reveals another teaching: the Chinese CLTC standard remains very far from the reality of a driving on the main axes, and Xiaomi, despite its technologies, does not escape the temptation to round its figures in the right direction. However, where the Yu7 Max scores a point, it is on the recharge speed. On a 400 kW terminal (400 to 1000 V), The total full is carried out in 37 minutes. Even more impressive: between 5 % and 70 % battery, the power remains stable at 300 kW, which makes it possible to recover most of the autonomy in less than a quarter of an hour. For users of ultra -rapid chargers, the promise of a “full express” is verified … at least as long as you stay in this optimal load niche. But this aspect is again echoing that we do not stop highlighting our side: electric, no need to have very large, heavy and dear batteries, It is the charging time which remains the cornerstone of the acceptance of the electric. Indeed, if this technology has so much difficulty in piercing with the majority of households, it is largely because it is still little convenient to use and it requires an organizational adaptation simply impossible for the majority of drivers and in addition, completely antinomic with the very concept of freedom of movement that the automobile embodies. Available only in China, Byd works on the subject with its 1,000 kW chargers and 10C batteries capable of filling up in a handful of minutes.
Coming back to the Yu7, Sohu’s essayers noted an annoying point. The passage below 10 % battery reveals questionable choices. The system hits off a few close alerts, then was almost completely around 8 % and 2 %, before frankly cutting power without notice. Not frankly educational, especially for users stressed by the dry breakdown. However, even completely flat, the Yu7 Max has accepted an immediate charge, without DIY or rescue cable, proof of well-controlled low-voltage management.
In the end, even if Xiaomi announces Put the double bites on the management of the three elements – battery, power electronics, recharging – The marketing strategy remains a priori classic: Maximize the advantages on paper. Autonomy on the Yu7 Max highway is among the best Chinese electric SUVs, but the difference with approval remains glaring. Despite an impressive silhouette and generous equipment, the promise to cross 750 km on a load therefore is more of the slogan than real experience, at least at highway. Obviously, we will not fail to carry out our own tests as we will have a vehicle on hand. As a reminder, in an interview with the media 163, the CEO of Xiaomi, Lei Jun, had said that he had personally led the standard version of the Yu7 over 1300 kilometers from Beijing to Shanghai with a single recharge stop …