Xiaomi announced the Sky Nomad sub-brand ahead of the launch of a large hybrid crossover.
By the end of this year, Xiaomi will unveil a large crossover with a plug-in hybrid powertrain. For this new model, the company has decided to launch a new sub-brand called Sky Nomad, which translates to “heavenly nomad” in Russian.
Chinese automakers love creating new brands, and Xiaomi, which burst onto the automotive market in the spring of 2024, is no exception. After the successful launch of two electric models under the parent Xiaomi brand, company founder Lei Jun decided that a new brand was needed for the third model. That brand will likely be Sky Nomad.
We say “likely” because Xiaomi does not directly indicate which product the Sky Nomad brand is intended for, but since its announcement was posted on the page of Xiaomi’s automotive division on the Chinese social network Weibo, it is clear that we are talking about a car, not a new tablet or, say, a vacuum cleaner. Chinese media unanimously claim that a large plug-in hybrid Xiaomi crossover will be released under the Sky Nomad brand. At the same time, no one yet knows whether the Xiaomi name will be retained in its designation or whether Sky Nomad will be a fully independent brand.
It was previously assumed that the large crossover would be called the Xiaomi YU9; its camouflaged prototypes were spotted on the roads as early as last year, and our artist Nikita Chuiko recently rendered the upcoming model. At present, it is known that this crossover will have a short five-seat and a long seven-seat version, with the overall length of the seven-seat version exceeding 5.3 m. A camper version with a pop-up roof for travel and outdoor recreation enthusiasts is also planned.
The powertrain, according to preliminary data, will be a plug-in hybrid of the series type, meaning the gasoline engine located up front under the hood is not mechanically connected to the wheels, operates as a generator, and charges the traction battery, whose capacity will be around 70 kWh. The driving range on a single charge without engaging the internal combustion engine will be approximately 400-500 km on the CLTC cycle, and in hybrid mode — more than 1500 km.
Xiaomi’s hybrid crossover will face fierce competition in the domestic market, but we are nevertheless confident that it will sell well — Xiaomi has a very loyal audience. In 2025, Xiaomi sold 411,837 cars in China, with a plan for 2026 of 550,000 cars, and the company is not yet meeting it despite continued sales growth. In the first half of this year, according to CnEVPost, Xiaomi sold 185,055 vehicles (+17.2% compared to the same period last year). The debut of the large crossover should help Xiaomi achieve its sales target. In 2027, Xiaomi vehicles will officially enter foreign markets, with Europe being a priority among them.
