Xiaomi Has a Luxury SUV for $31,000 That All Western Brands Should Fear | WIREDSkip to main contentTHE WIRED APP IS HEREDOWNLOAD NOW »MenuWIREDSECURITYPOLITICSTHE BIG STORYBUSINESSSCIENCECULTUREREVIEWSMenuWIREDAccountAccountNewslettersBest Android PhonesBest Robot VacuumsBest 2-in-1 LaptopsBest SoundbarsDeals DeliveredSecurityPoliticsThe Big StoryBusinessScienceCultureReviewsChevronMoreExpandThe Big InterviewMagazineEventsWIRED InsiderWIRED ConsultingNewslettersPodcastsVideoLivestreamsWIRED StoreSearchSearchJeremy WhiteGearSep 19, 2026 2:00 AMXiaomi Has a Luxury SUV for $31,000 All Western Brands Should FearThe SkyNomad—with heated floors, a projector, a pop-up roof, a fridge, swiveling seats, and over 1,000 miles of range—is a “luxury” ride that undercuts Range Rovers by tens of thousands of dollars.Courtesy of XiaomiCommentLoaderSave StorySave this storyCommentLoaderSave StorySave this storyIf there's one thing that can unite the world in these AI-troubled times, it's everyone's love of SUVs. For decades, the SUV has been the savior of the car world. Accounting for nearly half of all new sales worldwide, this is by some margin the largest segment in the global auto industry.Sedans? Forget it. Ford doesn't even sell a traditional sedan in the US now. China still likes a sedan. About a third of all Chinese autos are in this form, compared with less than half that for the US. But Chinese carmakers know full well how much we love our chunky SUVs, so they are focusing their efforts to lure the Western world away from familiar marques.Indeed, Xiaomi has just played its hand in this particular game, revealing the remaining details earlier this month in Beijing—including the all-important pricing—of its coming SkyNomad SUVs. Bentley and Range Rover may well have revealed their flagship electric SUVs, but both will be mightily worried about just how many scalps Xiaomi Auto's SkyNomad SUVs will take from them. If they're not, they should be.Sedan to SUVThe new Xiaomi Auto SkyNomad N70 is a five-seat, extended-range EV that has better technology than a Range Rover at half the price of a Velar.
Courtesy of XiaomiTrucks and SUVs represent more than 80 percent of new vehicle sales in America these days. Marc McGrath, US CEO of the automotive manufacturer Schaeffler Group, tells WIRED that one of the main reasons the company is developing its own solid-state batteries is to properly electrify the power-hungry trucks and SUVs Americans so dearly love. No one wants another F-150 Lightning U-turn.The shocking success of the Jaecoo 7 is a prime example of SUV supremacy. This Chinese-made ride has enjoyed a staggeringly meteoric rise in the UK, going from an unknown newcomer in 2025 to now being one of the country’s best-selling new cars. Nicknamed the “Temu Range Rover,” it comes in both gas and hybrid flavors, and the company liberally uses the word “luxury” in its marketing, yet the vehicle costs just £29,210 (a little over $39,000).These 7s are becoming ubiquitous on UK roads. My local Nissan dealer has swiftly dumped the Japanese brand and is now an official Jaecoo dealer, offering not just the 7, but the Jaecoo 5 and 8. I can't think of another auto brand that's enjoyed such a rapid rise.Other Chinese brands are playing the same tactic in Europe, such as XPeng and BYD, but the big one incoming is Xiaomi Auto, set to launch in Europe in 2027, despite only making its first EV in 2024. Astonishingly, its SU7 Ultra claimed the title of “World’s Fastest Sedan” the very same year.Far from a Temu pretender, the SkyNomad is not only tech-laden, it's also seemingly high-end, with seating that purports to be “more like an Italian sofa.” The SkyNomad N70 is a five-seater that, especially in its “Stealth Black Edition” guise, looks almost exactly like a Range Rover from the outside, and far more successfully than the Jaecoo.ArrowArrowThe larger N90 is a seven-seater that also comes in a “Max Studio” camper version, complete with a pop-up roof. The second row can transform into a bed with one touch of a button—no disassembly, no mattress needed—just 30 seconds from upright seats to a flat, large bed.The theme of reconfigurable interiors continues. A flat floor, courtesy of the Kunlun platform, comes with sliding rails built in from the front seats to the boot, meaning all (yes, all) the seat sections can move about. The front seats spin a full 180 degrees to face the second row; floor-mounted tables slot between the rows to make for “living-room-style" layouts; the center console can move forward or back at the press of a button; and rear legroom can max out at over 5 feet. In the N90 Max Studio, the pop-up roof lifts 100 mm to open a sleeping loft with 1.8 meters of headroom, along with heated flooring (!), a built-in projector, and a 30-inch projector screen.An amazing optional extra for the SkyNomad is Xiaomi's version of in-brand car-to-car communications. Essentially, it's a walkie-talkie that runs on cellular network coverage rather than short-range radio, so it's marketed as having “unlimited range” and looks very similar to tech Xiaomi already ships in its phones.Just stop for a minute and compare what you've just read with the sorts of interior innovations Western brands deliver on flagship models these days. Power doors, multi-point massage seats, relaxation programs with scent sprays, and a central console that moves maybe 10 cm are the typical cutting-edge fare. The SkyNomad makes US and European efforts look, frankly, lazy—right when they desperately need to stop their decline and show they can compete.ArrowArrowThere's more. “Full scenario” voice control; customizable head-up display; lidar units, high-definition cameras, and Nvidia's Thor-U chip for level 2-plus autonomous control. A low-voltage power system apparently keeps “sentry mode” drain to under 5 kilometers of range overnight, so the onboard fridge running on 0.72 kWh a day can offer up to 24-hour continuous cooling.The extended-range plug-in hybrid powertrain combines a 1.5-liter turbocharged internal combustion generator with battery packs and dual electric motors. This ICE engine never drives the wheels, but the SUV can charge from 20 to 80 percent in as little as 18 minutes for a 300-plus-mile electric-only range, or 1,000-mile combined range. Yes, these stats use China’s far more forgiving CLTC cycle, but this converts to about 700 miles using stricter US EPA standards.Now to the clincher: the price. The maxed-out N90 Max Studio with its camper roof clocks in at RMB 299,900, about $44,700. The entry-level N70 Pro five-seat, rear-wheel-drive model with its movable “Italian sofa” seats, lidar, 14-speaker sound system including subwoofer and headrest speakers, and prodigious range is just RMB 209,900, or just over $31,000—about the same as a 2026 Hyundai Tucson.Earlier this month, I asked a Western luxury auto CEO what he thought about Xiaomi Auto. He laughed. “They make vacuums, don't they?” he scoffed. I think he'll rue the day he said that. It reminds me of when, in a 2011 Bloomberg interview, Musk laughed when asked if he saw BYD as a competitor. Musk isn't laughing now. Make no mistake, Xiaomi is coming to clean up.CommentsBack to topJoin the discussionCommentsBack to topTriangleYou Might Also LikeIn your inbox: WIRED's most ambitious, future-defining storiesAI slop backlash is actually having an impactBig Story: The cop who took on FlockThe rise of the 1am job interviewWatch: I stole a car by hacking this hidden deviceJeremy White is senior innovation editor at WIRED, overseeing gear coverage, with a focus on EVs and luxury. He also edits gear for the US and UK print editions. Prior to WIRED, he was a digital editor at the Financial Times and tech editor at Esquire in the UK. And ... Read MoreSenior innovation editorInstagramTopicsSUVsBYDxiaomiChinaEVs and HybridsRead MoreThe Range Rover Electric Has Finally ArrivedAfter long delays, JLR’s biggest gamble with its Range Rover brand is here with huge performance, range, and off-road EV skills. 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Xiaomi has entered the luxury sports utility vehicle market with its SkyNomad line, positioning its offerings, such as the SkyNomad N70 and N90, to directly compete with established Western marques like Range Rover and Bentley, suggesting that other Western brands should be concerned about the market share Xiaomi is capturing. This move capitalizes on the worldwide enduring preference for SUVs, which account for nearly half of all new vehicle sales globally, and targets the trend among Chinese automakers to lure Western consumers away from familiar luxury names.

The SkyNomad vehicles are defined by extensive technological and interior innovations. For instance, the SkyNomad N70 is presented as an extended-range electric vehicle that surpasses the technology of a Range Rover Velar at a fraction of the cost. The N90 variant is a seven-seater that further emphasizes reconfigurable interiors. It features a flat floor utilizing a Kunlun platform with sliding rails allowing all seat sections to move, floor-mounted tables, and a central console that can adjust forward or backward. The N90 Max Studio features a pop-up roof that lifts to create a sleeping loft with ample headroom, alongside heated flooring, a built-in projector, and a 30-inch screen. This dedication to flexible space extends to the seating, which can transform into a large bed in a single motion.

Beyond interior design, the SkyNomad incorporates advanced autonomous and connectivity features. These include full scenario voice control, customizable head-up displays, lidar units, high-definition cameras, and the integration of Nvidia's Thor-U chip for level 2-plus autonomous control. The vehicle also features an advanced power system, employing an extended-range plug-in hybrid powertrain that combines an internal combustion generator with battery packs and dual electric motors. This system allows for significant electric-only range, and it manages the power demands of features like an onboard fridge, which can maintain continuous cooling overnight using minimal energy. Furthermore, Xiaomi introduced proprietary car-to-car communications based on cellular network coverage, offering an "unlimited range" feature that mirrors the connectivity standards found in their mobile phones.

The pricing of these vehicles positions them aggressively in the luxury segment. The entry-level N70 Pro model, featuring enhanced amenities like lidar and a sixteen-speaker sound system, is priced at just over $31,000, comparable to vehicles like the Hyundai Tucson. The most luxurious configuration, the N90 Max Studio, with its expansive camper roof, is priced around $44,700. This pricing strategy is designed to challenge the high costs associated with incumbent luxury SUVs. The competitive success of other Chinese brands, such as the Jaecoo 7, which achieved rapid market penetration in the UK, demonstrates the viability of this model, with other brands like XPeng and BYD also engaging in similar tactics across Europe. The introduction of the SkyNomad signals a concerted effort by Xiaomi Auto to compete directly in the high-end segment by offering superior technology and flexible design at highly competitive price points.