Imaginechina
Xiaomi Auto and its founder and CEO Lei Jun are navigating what appears to be the most turbulent period since the company entered the electric vehicle market four years ago.
A series of high-profile controversies has pushed the automaker into the media spotlight, but not for the reasons it might have hoped.
The challenges culminated on May 10 when Lei acknowledged on Weibo: “This past month has been the hardest since I founded Xiaomi.”
Lei, once celebrated as a visionary for steering Xiaomi from smartphones to smart mobility, had boldly declared that the company’s auto division aims to become one of the world’s top five carmakers within 15 to 20 years.
But as scrutiny mounts over the SU7 electric sedan and Xiaomi's corporate culture, that ambition is being severely tested.
Lei Jun said on Weibo on May 10: “This past month has been the hardest since I founded Xiaomi.”
Performance claims under fire
The latest controversy involves the 42,000 yuan (US$5,821) carbon fiber hood offered as an upgrade on the SU7 Ultra. Marketed as a cutting-edge feature with air ducts for cooling and aerodynamic gains, the hood was billed as a performance-enhancing component.
However, customers soon questioned its functionality after airflow tests revealed that the vents had no meaningful effect — with teardown videos showing they were not connected to any brake cooling or downforce system.
In viral videos, customers demonstrated that a tissue placed over the vents remained unmoved...
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