Last week, Ford CEO Jim Farley surprised the automotive world by revealing he’s been driving a Xiaomi SU7, a Chinese electric sedan, for the past six months and is reluctant to give it up. This announcement spotlighted Xiaomi’s first car, marking the Chinese consumer electronics company’s entry into the electric vehicle (EV) market. Now, Xiaomi aims to up the ante with the SU7 Ultra, a higher-performance version of its debut model. A prototype of this car just completed a lap at Germany’s Nürburgring Nordschleife in 6:46.87, an impressive time for an EV, though it doesn’t qualify for official production-car records since it was only a prototype.
Footage from the Nürburgring showcases the SU7 Ultra prototype’s impressive lap, beating previous records for electric and four-door vehicles on the track. Notably, this lap was achieved despite a noticeable power drop around the 4:15-minute mark, as shown by the onboard video. The performance demonstrates Xiaomi’s ambitions to make a mark in both the EV and performance car sectors, hinting at future competition with established brands in speed and efficiency.
Completing a lap under seven minutes at the Nürburgring is widely regarded as a benchmark of high performance, solidifying the SU7 Ultra’s reputation. However, since this wasn’t an official record attempt, the lap falls under the Prototypes and Pre-Production category. The video reveals a stripped-down interior in the prototype, which likely contributed to its faster time due to weight savings not seen in the final production model. This lean setup showcases the raw power and engineering Xiaomi is putting into its EVs.
Xiaomi claims that the production SU7 Ultra will have a top speed of 217 mph and generate 1,527 horsepower, along with advanced aerodynamic features for improved handling and performance. The company estimates that its aerodynamic elements can produce up to 628 pounds of downforce, giving it substantial traction for high-speed maneuvers. The question remains whether the production SU7 Ultra will be able to break the seven-minute mark when it returns to Nürburgring, though its prototype lap suggests strong potential.
The SU7 Ultra’s impressive track performance is a bold statement by Xiaomi, signaling its serious intentions in the high-performance EV market. The prototype’s sub-seven-minute time highlights both Xiaomi’s engineering capabilities and its ambition to rival established EV manufacturers. If the production model can match or exceed the prototype’s Nürburgring time, it could redefine expectations for electric sedans and give Xiaomi a significant foothold in the competitive world of high-speed EVs.
