Analysts had been keenly watching the launch, which comes as Chinese EV makers lock into another price war as they seek to win over cautious consumers.

The company received 289,000 orders for the YU7 - only its second vehicle and one that undercuts Tesla's Model Y in price by nearly 4% - in its first hour on sale, according to CEO Lei Jun. That was more than three times the level for its SU7 electric sedan launched in March last year and easily exceeded market expectations of around 100,

The unveiling of Xiaomi Corp.’s first electric SUV on Thursday will showcase how the Chinese tech company has become an investor darling with its high-stakes bet on the auto market.