The car, which starts at $35,000, intends to compete with the Model Y, China's most popular SUV, which starts at $36,760.

Chinese EV and smartphone maker Xiaomi on Thursday priced its new electric YU7 SUV from 253,500 yuan ($35,364), almost 4% below Tesla's Model Y, stepping up the challenge to the U.S. firm in the world's largest auto market.

Xiaomi has introduced its first SUV, the YU7, in China, offering three variants priced between RMB 199,500 and RMB 289,900. The Standard variant features rear-wheel drive and boasts a remarkable range of 835 km,