Xiaomi Denies US EV Plans After YU7 Gets Spotted on Illinois Highway

Xiaomi founder Lei Jun said the company has no immediate plans to enter the US electric vehicle market after a Xiaomi YU7 Max was spotted driving in Illinois. The executive suggested the SUV was likely purchased by a US company for benchmarking rather than signaling an American launch.

Lei Jun addresses YU7 sighting in the US

The clarification came after images surfaced showing a Xiaomi YU7 Max traveling on Interstate 5 with Illinois license plates. The sighting sparked speculation that Xiaomi might be preparing for a US expansion.

In a post on Weibo, Lei Jun wrote that Xiaomi EV does not currently plan to enter the US market. He added that the vehicle was probably acquired by a US peer or supplier for research and development purposes.

Automotive outlet CarScoops had reported the sighting earlier this month and speculated the SUV could be tied to Rivian Automotive, noting that Rivian vehicles are produced in Illinois and that the license plate number had appeared on Rivian test units in the past, according to CNEV Post.

Rivian is preparing to launch its $45,000 R2 crossover later this year, making competitive benchmarking plausible.

YU7 momentum continues in China

Xiaomi officially launched the YU7 in June 2025 as its first electric SUV. Positioned as a direct rival to premium midsize EV crossovers, the model quickly gained traction in China.

The company delivered 39,089 YU7 units in December alone, bringing total 2025 deliveries to 153,673 vehicles, according to industry data. The YU7 Max variant is built on an 800-volt architecture and offers a CLTC-rated range of 760 kilometers, along with 0–100 km/h acceleration in 3.23 seconds.

Earlier this month, Xiaomi also filed a higher-performance YU7 GT variant producing 738 kW, or 990 horsepower.

While US trade policies currently make Chinese EV imports unlikely, reports had suggested Xiaomi explored potential partnerships for US production. The company later denied those claims.

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