BEIJING, April 1 Reuters China39;s Xiaomi is advising potential buyers of its SU7 electric sedan that they could face waits of four to seven months, in a sign of strong demand for its firstever vehicle.

The maker of smartphones and other consumer electronics began taking orders on Thursday and said preorders hit 88,898 in the first 24 hours.

Deliveries for the standard SU7 model, priced at 215,900 yuan 29,870, may take 1821 weeks, according to checks by Reuters on Xiaomi39;s car app.

Deliveries for the SU7 Pro model could take 1821 weeks, while the most expensive model, priced at 299,900 yuan, could take 2730 weeks.

The SU7, whose design has drawn comparisons with Porsche39;s Taycan and Panamera sports car models, has been launched amid a cutthroat price war in the world39;s largest auto market where more than 40 brands vie for consumer attention.

On Monday, Huaweibacked Aito offered discounts of up to 20,000 yuan on its new M7 SUVs until the end of endApril while Xpeng also offered subsidies of up to 20,000 yuan on its flagship electric SUV G9 for a limited time.

In addition, Chery CHERY.UL announced it would offer tax breaks, tradein subsidies and cash discounts on some of its bestselling gasolineengine vehicles.

While the market is challenging for newcomers, analysts have noted that Xiaomi has deeper pockets than many EV startups and that its expertise in smartphones gives the company an edge in smart dashboards a feature that Chinese consumers prize.

As part…