The Xiaomi SU7 Ultra EV has been unleashed – and it’s already bagging speed records
Chinese smartphone maker is now lord of the ‘Ring
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Xiaomi’s debut SU7 electric vehicle has been a runaway success for the Chinese smartphone maker, but it isn’t done proving that it is the master of cooking up a sales storm in its domestic market.
Xiaomi founder, chairman, and CEO Lei Jun unveiled theSU7 Ultra prototypeduring an annual conference in July this year and has repeatedly taken to China’s premier social media platform Weibo to state the performance intentions of his project.
At Germany’s infamous Nurburgring, which has become the global benchmark for performance car lap times, the road-going, four-door EV managed to post a time of 6:46.874 – a staggering 20 seconds faster than the Porsche Taycan Turbo GT.
It’s a huge undertaking for any vehicle manufacturer, let alone a company that has more experience dealing in smartphones and consumer tech.
According to Lei Jun, the record was snagged with British endurance driver David Pittard behind the wheel in just one lap – a one-take wonder, if you will.
According to the onboard video footage, which can be viewed onYouTube(or just click above), the SU7 Ultra temporarily lost power around two thirds of the way into the run. Had this mishap not have occurred, the lap time would have been even more impressive.
Accessible performance
Far from simply being a PR stunt, the 1,526hp, tri-motor Xiaomi SU7 Ultra will join the rest of the line-up and go into production early next year. It is expected to cost 814,900 Chinese yuan – or around $114,000/£88,000/AU$174,000 – but like the rest of Xiaomi’s EV range, will only go on sale in China.
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It is a phenomenal amount of car for the money and the spec sheet reads like a petrolhead’s Christmas list: carbon ceramic brakes, a 0-62mph sprint time of 1.98 seconds, a top speed of 217mph, adjustable Bilstein suspension, as well as an interior that’s dripping with carbon fibre and Alcantara.
Although the production model won’t be quite as aggressive as the vehicle that took to the Nurburgring, it will still feature a rear spoiler, a revised front splitter with massive air intakes and an active rear diffuser for added downforce.
It comes as no surprise that the Chinese smartphone manufacturer received 3,680 deposits in the first 10 minutes after the car’s release, according toCarScoops.
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Leon has been navigating a world where automotive and tech collide for almost 20 years, reporting on everything from in-car entertainment to robotised manufacturing plants. Currently, EVs are the focus of his attentions, but give it a few years and it will be electric vertical take-off and landing craft. Outside of work hours, he can be found tinkering with distinctly analogue motorcycles, because electric motors are no replacement for an old Honda inline four.
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