Smartphone Sales Declining, Xiaomi Unexpectedly Launches Large SUV
The global smartphone industry is currently facing pressure due to a memory chip shortage crisis, which has driven up component costs and triggered price adjustments. According to Counterpoint reports for Q2 2026, global smartphone shipments have declined by 11% year-on-year (YoY). Specifically in China, the world’s largest smartphone market, a 4.3% YoY decrease was recorded, according to IDC reports.
The impact of the global memory chip shortage has most significantly affected Chinese smartphone manufacturers targeting the low-to-mid segments. Three established Chinese manufacturers—Xiaomi, Oppo, and vivo—have recorded double-digit declines in global smartphone shipments.
Amidst the volatility in the smartphone industry, Xiaomi, which has been aggressively expanding its product portfolio, recently introduced its latest large SUV series named SkyNomad, as reported by Reuters. This move follows the company’s successful entry into the electric vehicle (EV) industry with the SU7 sedan.
This expansion into the large family SUV segment is a strategic move by Xiaomi to boost sales amidst increasingly fierce competition in the Chinese automotive market, while also facilitating its planned market invasion of Europe next year. Through the launch of the Sky Наnomad, Xiaomi seeks to bridge the gap in its fleet deliveries, as Xiaomi’s EV sales realised in the first half of 2026 have only secured one-third of the company’s annual target, pressured by sluggish consumer purchasing power due to China’s economic slowdown.
Unlike the SU7 sedan and YU7 SUV, which possess a sporty aura and driving dynamics, Xiaomi positions the SkyNomad as an ‘intelligent, reconfigurable, large-space SUV’—a smart, bulky SUV with a cabin layout that can be customised to meet family needs.
Featuring ‘EREV’ Petrol Engine Technology with a Range of up to 1,700 km!
The highest variant in this line is the N90 Max, a 7-seater SUV dubbed by Xiaomi CEO Lei Jun as a ‘house on wheels’. Uniquely, this vehicle does not rely solely on battery electric power; instead, it utilises Extended-Range Electric Vehicle (EREV) technology. This means the wheels are driven entirely by electric motors, but the vehicle is equipped with a 1.5L turbocharger petrol engine and a 60-litre fuel tank that functions specifically as an emergency generator to recharge the battery when power runs low on the road.
Key specifications include:
Battery: 76 kWh + 1.5L Turbo Petrol Generator Engine
Fuel Tank: 60 Litres
Combined Range: Up to 1,705 km
Architecture: New ‘Kunlun’ platform
Price: 299,900 yuan (approximately IDR 720 million)
‘Six seats alone are not enough for family needs. If we liken a vehicle to a house, we can freely arrange the space and decorate it,’ said Xiaomi CEO Lei Jun during the official launch event.
Xiaomi has opened pre-orders and aims to begin official distribution of the SkyNomad N90 Max units to the market this coming September.