Xiaomi’s entry into the electric vehicle (EV) world is gaining attention as its SU7 Ultra prototype recently set a blistering lap time of 6 minutes and 46.874 seconds at the Nürburgring Nordschleife. Although the time doesn’t qualify for official production records, this impressive run puts Xiaomi’s SU7 Ultra in direct competition with the likes of Porsche and Tesla.
The SU7 Ultra, built by the Chinese smartphone giant, boasts a tri-motor configuration generating up to 1,548 horsepower, making the prototype capable of reaching 62 mph in just 1.97 seconds and achieving a top speed of 217 mph (350km/h). This power helped it surpass the previous fastest lap for electric sedans set by the Porsche Taycan Turbo GT of 7 minutes and 7.55 seconds.
It was also good enough to put it well ahead of the Tesla Model S Plaid’s 7-minute, 35-second time, making Xiaomi’s flagship EV a serious contender among the world’s fastest four-door electric sedans.
The time was even faster than the two-door Rimac Nevera, which completed a lap of the same track in a time of 7:00.928.
While the SU7 Ultra prototype dominated the track, it wasn’t without its challenges. The track was damp, and during the lap, the vehicle experienced a brief accelerator issue from around the 4:10 to 4:30 mark, where pressing the pedal produced no acceleration.
Despite the unfavourable conditions and this setback, the prototype completed the lap with what would have been a record time. The SU7 Ultra prototype was driven by David Pittard, a British driver and 2023 Nürburgring 24 Hour endurance race winner.
Xiaomi’s current prototype that set the time is now what you will be getting if you purchase an SU7 Ultra. This prototype features a stripped-down interior. Nevertheless, Xiaomi’s engineering team aims to retain as much performance as possible while adapting the model for general production.
Xiaomi hopes to begin production of the SU7 Ultra in the first half of 2025. Xiaomi already produces Standard, Pro, and Max versions of the SU7 in China.
Here is the full lap around Nürburgring Nordschleife.
