BEIJING, March 19 (Reuters) - China's Xiaomi said on Thursday that its updated SU7 ​vehicle was priced from 219,900 yuan ($31,870) as ‌the Chinese EV maker keeps racing against Tesla.

That is lower than its pre-sale price ​which started from 229,900 yuan.

Xiaomi ​hosted a big event on Thursday ⁠to unveil its updated SU7 sedan ​that it pits against Tesla Model ​3.

The new SU7 is less expensive but with a longer range than Tesla Model 3, ​CEO Lei Jun said during the ​event.

Lei brought celebrities onto the stage to promote ‌the ⁠latest model and drew applause and cheers from his fans and supporters.

The updated vehicle features mechanical door handles, ​changed from ​hidden door ⁠handles, and dedicated backup power supply that is fully ​compliant with upcoming Chinese safety ​standards ⁠that will apply from next year, Lei said.

Xiaomi's Max SU7 will be priced ⁠from ​303,900 yuan, the company ​said.

($1 = 6.8998 Chinese yuan renminbi)