Xiaomi has literally unveiled a home on wheels: a new SUV with a retractable roof where you can stand up, with floor heating and a one-button bed

Lei Jun saved one last „one more thing” for the end of today’s conference: Xiaomi SkyNomad N90 Max Studio, known in China as 探索版 (Explorer). This is the highest version of the flagship SUV N90 Max, and it’s the first serial car in China to feature an electrically retractable roof integrated directly from the factory. Xiaomi openly calls it a „home on wheels”.

While the standard N90 Max is a family and business SUV, the Studio targets camping, photographers, and people who work while on the road. The specifications come from Xiaomi’s livestream and the official Xiaomi Auto page; you can find the prices of the standard N70 and N90 Max versions in a separate article.

The roof lifts in 30 seconds and creates a second floor

The base is a electrically retractable rooftop cabin that, when folded, follows the body line. It raises the car by only 100 mm to 1,925 mm, and the air drag coefficient remains 0.245—according to Xiaomi, the best among large SUVs with extended range.

With one button, it lifts in about 30 seconds, and a two-level “loft” is created inside with a ceiling height of 2,294 mm. An adult can stand inside, change clothes, or move from one side to the other—something Lei Jun described as the main purpose of the whole solution.

The upper level has a usable area of 2,110 × 985 mm and a load capacity of 200 kg, so it can serve as a separate bedroom or a place to relax while someone works below. Five mesh windows provide 1.7 m² of illuminated space with views of the landscape; the front mesh can be fully opened. Up top, you’ll also find air-conditioning vents, lighting, charging ports, and magnetic mounts for accessories.

Xiaomi also thought about practical risks. The front and rear lidars measure obstacle heights in underground garages and warn you about low ceilings; during the roof-lifting process, ultrasonics above the car monitor the space.

The roof can be lifted only on a parked car outside public roads, and the manufacturer does not recommend using it in rain or snow. Lei Jun also emphasized a detail that bothered Chinese customers the most: since it’s an original part of the car, the cabin doesn’t need to be removed for technical inspection.

Official video:

One-button bed and heated floor

The Studio has a five-seat layout, and in the second row the seats are upholstered with classic stitching in the style of an Italian sofa. They are split in a 40:60 ratio, and each side can be folded separately, so the left side becomes a bed while the right side keeps a tabletop on rails.

At the command to the Xiao Ai assistant or with one button, a flat bed is created in 30 seconds with dimensions 1.24 × 1.87 meters, serially with ventilation and heating. It works only when the gear is in position P, and before driving you must return the seats back.

The cabin floor over an area of 1.7 m² is covered by a aluminum floor with a wood-texture finish, which has nine layers of scratch-resistant surface treatment and a seven-layer load-bearing structure certified for the automotive industry. Under it, there is underfloor heating with a heating film made from aviation materials, three heating levels, and a temperature up to 38 °C.

At 0 °C, the surface heats up to 25 °C in ten minutes, so according to Lei Jun you can take your shoes off even when it’s snowing outside.

Cabinet, cosmetic mirror, nightstand, and a 30-inch cinema

The interior is complemented by details you’d know from an apartment more than from a car. The built-in cabinet has three illuminated compartments with a volume of 20 liters for cosmetics, snacks, or tissues. The tilting cosmetic mirror with an 11.5-inch diagonal opens up to 115 degrees, holds any position, and has a ring light with a color temperature of 4,000 K.

The floating nightstand features 220 V and 12 V drawers, magnetic points, a small lamp, and a spot for your phone, watch, or glasses. A fridge with its own compressor is included as standard.

The only bigger paid extra item is a 30-inch projection system for 10,000 yuan (1,300 €): 1080p image with 650 lumens of brightness on a special screen with a silicone layer that slides out in 25 seconds at a remote or voice command. The maximum distance from the screen is 1,096 mm; during the day, blackout curtains help, and at night there’s soft lighting.

Xiaomi showed three typical scenarios. Creators get a mobile studio with a 220 V outlet, fast internet, air conditioning, and premium audio; photographers get a natural viewing hide where they can fit a tripod after lifting the roof; and open 90-step rear doors with a flat floor let you shoot birds or go fishing. Lei Jun also mentioned wedding photos on the road: the bride changes outfits while standing in the air-conditioned cabin instead of at a restroom by the roadside.

Drive and chassis: 310 kW, 76 kWh and range 1 688 km

Technology is identical to the N90 Max. Two electric motors with all-wheel drive deliver 310 kW, a hundred in 5.9 seconds, and a top speed of 190 km/h. The NMC Xiaomi Dragon Armor battery with 76 kWh, combined with a 60-liter tank and a 1.5-liter Kunlun generator, means 462 km on electricity and 1 688 km overall according to CLTC, with consumption of 6.28 l/100 km and a depleted battery according to WLTC.

The front suspension uses double wishbone arms, the rear has a multi-link axle, air suspension with continuously adjustable dampers, four hydraulic mounts, Bosch ESP 10.0 and quiet tires 255 up front and 265 at the rear.

The full package of Xiaomi HAD driver-assistance systems runs on NVIDIA Thor with output of 700 TOPS, plus front and rear lidars. The body uses steel with a strength of 2 200 MPa at 16 points, a one-piece stamped door-frame structure, and nine airbags.

The roof itself has gone through 10 000 opening/closing cycles, the center island and seats have endured 12 000 loading cycles, and the reinforced cabin frame made of high-strength steel passed a rollover test at 44,7 km/h without separation or deformation. Xiaomi talks about 19 safety measures specifically for lifting, parking, and everyday use.

Colors and prices in China

The Studio is sold in four colors: green Distant Mountain Green, blue Butterfly Valley Blue, and volcanic gray at no extra charge, while the new cool khaki costs an additional 7,000 yuan. The interior comes in sand-beige or mocha brown. The 21-inch wheels are offered in three designs: the base one is free, and the others cost 12,000 and 14,000 yuan. The price is 299,900 yuan, roughly €38,600, which is 30,000 yuan more than the standard N90 Max.

Until 7. October, Xiaomi adds benefits worth up to 43 000 yuan: electric running boards, a lifetime HAD system for 26 000 yuan, and vouchers for paint and wheels. Prepaid orders with a deposit of 5 000 yuan opened in China on 7.9. evening; once placed, they can be locked in starting from 10. September. The offer also includes financing with a down payment from 49 900 yuan and a five-year interest rate of 1,99 %. The collector’s Studio model with a retractable roof and a tent sold out, according to Lei Jun, even during the presentation.

How much would it cost in Slovakia?

As with the other SkyNomado models, it holds that Xiaomi cars in Europe aren’t sold yet and will officially arrive only in 2027. For individual import, you need to add about 3 000 € for shipping and insurance to the Chinese price, customs duty from the price including shipping, 23 % VAT from the price including shipping and customs duty, and roughly 2 700 € for each approval and registration process.

The biggest unknown is customs duty. The basic customs duty on cars from China is 10%, but for fully electric cars, from October 2024 there are also compensatory duties depending on the brand — from 17% for BYD up to 35.3% for SAIC and non-cooperating companies. Xiaomi couldn’t take part in the investigation because at the time it still wasn’t selling any car, so according to the SCMP, it is among the non-cooperating brands with the highest rate, totaling 45.3 %.

The Studio is a car with extended range, a plug-in hybrid, and these duties do not apply to it for now. However, the Commission is preparing them for Chinese hybrids too starting June 2026. With today’s 10% customs duty, the Studio would come out to about €59,000. With a 30.7% rate for cooperating brands, it would be €69,600, and with 45.3% it would be €77,000. The open question is how Slovak authorities would view the retractable roof when approving the vehicle on a case-by-case basis.

To get more updates from the world of Xiaomi, keep following our Xiaomi Planet website. Join our Facebook group, where we build an active community and help each other out. Subscribe to our Telegram as well, where we add the best deals and coupons from China every day.