A Xiaomi EV Was Spotted In America, And A US Maker Might Be Behind It

Keen-eyed car lovers are everywhere, and one just spotted something incredibly rare in the USA. It’s a Xiaomi YU7 Max, which is wildly popular in China, but isn’t legal to import and sell in America. That’s why it was so odd to see one on I-5, and even stranger that it’s wearing Illinois manufacturer plates.

Why is that notable? Because it might mean the car belongs to Rivian. To be clear, there’s no confirmed link between the spotted Xiaomi and the automaker, but there’s enough circumstantial evidence to keep the theory alive.

More: Rivian’s R2 Spotted With A Very Interesting Rear Window

The photos of what’s believed to be a Xiaomi YU7 were first posted to Xiaohongshu, a Chinese social media platform, before making their way to Reddit. In the images, the Chinese EV is seen driving on I-5 with an Illinois manufacturer plate. That detail alone is what’s sparked speculation that this might be a Rivian-owned test vehicle.

Clues in the Plate Number

Why? Well, first, it’s from Illinois where Rivian builds cars. Second, the number 132. That manufacturer plate number has previously appeared on Rivian test vehicles. Notably, such plates are not exclusive and can be issued to other manufacturers or contractors. That said, the timing of this sighting is also key.

Rivian is gearing up to launch the highly-anticipated $45,000 R2 “by June”, and it’s something the brand has to get right. Part of that launch likely includes benchmarking competitor vehicles to see how the R2 stacks up.

Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe has previously confirmed that the company owns several Chinese EVs for internal testing and competitive analysis. That would make the Xiaomi sighting less of a mystery and more of a quiet case of due diligence.

No Comment From Rivian

For what it’s worth, we reached out to Rivian. A spokesperson said the company wouldn’t comment on third-party photos but added, “It is standard practice across the industry to benchmark and study vehicles globally as part of product development.”

Different SUVs for Different Jobs

While the brand won’t have to worry about Xiaomi stealing sales in the States, the R2 is also going to the European market, where the two cars will go head-to-head. That said, they’re not exactly one-for-one comparisons.

The YU7 Max is built on an 800-volt architecture, a setup that’s increasingly common among mainstream Chinese EVs and one that enables ultra-fast DC charging. The R2 sits on a 400-volt platform, so charging will be slower no matter what. The Rivian is also aimed a little more squarely at the adventure crowd that likes to take in the outdoors. We’ll find out later this year just how well it stacks up to the competition.

Photos: A Xiaohongshu user