At tonight’s Xiaomi product launch, Lei Jun almost broke his voice when he started talking about the Xiaomi SU7 Ultra.
Eight hours before the event, Lei Jun officially announced the Xiaomi SU7 Ultra prototype’s Nürburgring lap time—6 minutes 46 seconds 874, making it the fastest four-door car on the Nürburgring track.
Under the aura of this achievement, the production version of the Xiaomi SU7 Ultra prototype—the Xiaomi SU7 Ultra—began pre-sale, with a pre-sale price of 814,900 yuan, the exact same price as the Tesla Model S Plaid. Within 10 minutes of pre-sale, the Xiaomi SU7 Ultra secured 3,680 small orders. By March next year, the Xiaomi SU7 Ultra will officially hit the market.
Notably, although “Ultra” usually gives a sense of the Max version upgrade, the Xiaomi SU7 Ultra is not an upgraded version of the Xiaomi SU7 Max. Instead, it is a car made by refining the performance and race-grade technology of the SU7 Ultra prototype during its Nürburgring ventures for mass production.
This means that the performance and driving control of the Xiaomi SU7 Ultra will be especially pure and extreme, with its horsepower reaching 1,548 PS and a 0-100 km/h acceleration of 1.98 seconds without launch time. Following the prototype, the Xiaomi SU7 Ultra will also take on Nürburgring, aiming to become the “fastest four-door production car on the planet.”
In addition to the Xiaomi SU7 Ultra, Xiaomi also unveiled the Xiaomi Surge OS2 system tonight, along with the Xiaomi 15 series, Xiaomi Watch S4, TVs, refrigerators, and other electronic and home products.
同时，雷军还宣布了小米 SU7 10 月份的交付量目前已经突破了 2 万台，全国都能开的城市 NOA 从 10 月 30 日将开启全量推送，到 2025 年将投入 300 亿的研发费用等重磅信息。
In recent years, accompanied by new developments in automotive and consumer electronics, Xiaomi has undergone a series of almost transformative changes. The Xiaomi SU7 Ultra prototype achieving a lap time of 6 minutes 46 seconds 874 at Nürburgring precisely reflects the new heights and fresh starting points Xiaomi has reached.
Xiaomi SU7 Ultra, Lei Jun’s Dream Car
Today, Lei Jun stated on Weibo that the Xiaomi SU7 Ultra, which integrates “peak performance, peak technology, and peak control,” is his dream car.
Let’s first look at a comparison of parameters between the Xiaomi SU7 Ultra, ZEEKR 001 FR, Tesla Model S Plaid, LOTUS Emeya R + Black Gold Edition, and Porsche Taycan Turbo GT with Weissach Package. This table includes the most ferocious four-door electric cars you can buy in the Chinese market.
From the chart above, it is clear that as a high-performance four-door pure electric car with a pre-sale price of 814,900 CNY, Xiaomi SU7 Ultra stands out notably against similar models like the ZEEKR 001 FR and the Tesla Model S Plaid.
With its zero-to-100 km/h acceleration not including take-off time being 1.98 seconds, maximum horsepower of 1,548 Ps, peak torque of 1,770 N⋅m, and a top speed of 350 km/h, it is likely that upon release, the Xiaomi SU7 Ultra will become another vital benchmark for future high-performance electric vehicles.
Let’s delve into some driving dynamics configuration details of the Xiaomi SU7 Ultra.
In terms of its motors, the Xiaomi SU7 Ultra is equipped with one V6s and two V8s motors, with the former having a speed of 21,000 rpm and the latter reaching as high as 27,200 rpm.
For the suspension system, the Xiaomi SU7 Ultra features a front double wishbone and rear five-link suspension combination, complemented by dual-chamber air suspension, continuously variable damping shock absorbers, and EVO T1 coilover dampers. For the braking system, it is equipped with carbon ceramic brake discs and front 6-piston and rear 4-piston brake calipers, resulting in a braking distance from 100 km/h to zero of just 30.8 meters.
Additionally, Xiaomi SU7 Ultra has heavily invested in its tri-electric system.
Regarding the battery, the Xiaomi SU7 Ultra features a 93.7 kWh CATL second-generation Kirin battery with a peak voltage of 897 V and a peak discharge power of 1,330 kW. Even when the battery level is around 20%, the second-generation Kirin battery can discharge at 800 kW.
In terms of electric drive and control, the Xiaomi SU7 Ultra achieves a maximum electric drive efficiency of 96% and electric control efficiency of up to 99.85%. Thus, while enhancing the performance of the Xiaomi SU7 Ultra, Xiaomi also minimizes its power consumption. According to official data, the minimum energy consumption of the Xiaomi SU7 Ultra is 16.5 kWh / 100 km.
For a performance car, the cooling system is particularly crucial. According to official information, the Xiaomi SU7 Ultra is equipped with an 800 W dual fan setup, with a cooling power of 28 kW, ensuring no overheating issues even after two consecutive laps on the Nürburgring.
In addition, the XiaoMi SU7 Ultra comes equipped with high-precision track maps for over 30 circuits in China, along with lap time leaderboards. It also supports custom track creation.
Before hitting the track, users can adjust steering feel, accelerator pedal response, suspension stiffness, and front-rear power distribution. During the race, the XiaoMi SU7 Ultra provides clear information on tire temperature, brake temperature, and motor temperature. After the race, the XiaoMi SU7 Ultra can intelligently analyze every frame of acceleration, braking, and cornering data to help users improve their performance. Results can be uploaded to the lap time leaderboards, and lap videos can be generated and shared with a single click.
For tracks, XiaoMi has launched dedicated track training. At the launch event, Lei Jun emphasized that reckless street racing is discouraged, and true capability should be shown on the track.
A Car That Invites You to Drive
The XiaoMi SU7 Ultra is designed from the inside out to ignite your desire to drive.
With its exterior, the XiaoMi SU7 Ultra features a bold yellow color, emblematic of performance, combined with exclusive decals. The headlights, taillights, window trim, underbody surround, and front and rear badges have all been given a “blacked-out” treatment.
Flanking the front bumper, the XiaoMi SU7 Ultra sports two U-shaped wind blades inspired by the prototype car and an aircraft, with a large front splitter inspired by F1 cars at the center.
For the tires, the XiaoMi SU7 Ultra uses Pirelli P ZERO 5, sized at front 265/35 R 21, rear 305/30 R21. The design features high-gloss black with a yellow outer ring.
At the rear, the XiaoMi SU7 Ultra is fitted with a fixed carbon fiber wing and a two-stage adjustable active rear diffuser. Additionally, it features a carbon fiber roof measuring 1,462 mm in length and 1,254 mm in width.
Overall, the XiaoMi SU7 Ultra is a car that looks like it just begs to be driven.
Moving inside, the XiaoMi SU7 Ultra continues to stir the desire to drive.
The color theme of the XiaoMi SU7 Ultra’s interior aligns with the exterior, dominated by vibrant yellow across seats, dashboard, and seatbelts, and including a yellow center marker on the steering wheel.
The design of the XiaoMi SU7 Ultra steering wheel and button layout features a brand-new design, appearing more streamlined and with reduced risk of accidental touches. Naturally, this design aims to provide a purer driving experience.
Additionally, the seats, door panels, dashboard, and steering wheel of the XiaoMi SU7 Ultra are wrapped in Alcantara material. Alcantara offers excellent anti-slip, breathability, and durability properties. According to official data, up to 5 square meters of the XiaoMi SU7 Ultra’s interior uses Alcantara.
Notably, the Ultra emblem is found on the XiaoMi SU7 Ultra’s welcome pedals, seat backs, and steering wheel.
The smart cockpit of the XiaoMi SU7 Ultra is also intriguing. It has a dedicated UI design and supports both interior and exterior sound effects, with the exterior sound played by a 40W rear external speaker and a front AVAS speaker. This feature adds another layer of playfulness and attention to the XiaoMi SU7 Ultra. However, during the launch, Lei Jun jokingly advised against creating a racket on the streets.
It is evident that the XiaoMi SU7 Ultra, from exterior to interior, endeavors to ignite the user’s driving desire wherever visible. Meanwhile, the XiaoMi SU7 Ultra clearly showcases itself as a car with substantial value.
Lei Jun’s Ambition Goes Beyond the Nürburgring
On October 10, Lei Jun posted five Weibo posts, all about the Nürburgring, which fully expressed his complex feelings of regret, excitement, and ambition.
On that day, Lei Jun noted on Weibo, “XiaoMi’s automotive debut at the Nürburgring, everything was ready, even advertising on the track and café was purchased,” and “It was a pity! XiaoMi’s first Nürburgring campaign was not smooth, but our journey has just begun.”
As early as the beginning of this year, XiaoMi had reserved the Nürburgring track for October 9 and 10. This indicates that during the preparation phase of the XiaoMi SU7 launch, the plan to tackle the Nürburgring was officially set.
On July 19, Lei Jun hosted an annual speech themed “Courage.” It was during this speech that the XiaoMi SU7 Ultra prototype was officially unveiled, along with the announcement of plans to lap the Nürburgring in October.伴随着XiaoMi SU7 Ultra原型车以及征战纽北计划的发布，雷军在年度演讲上又重申了XiaoMi要用15-20年的时间成为全球前五车厂的目标，而如果要成为全球前五，那么XiaoMi就要有勇气在世界巅峰的赛道上，全球顶尖的车企正面对决 — 回肠荡气的话已经喊出去了，XiaoMi SU7 Ultra原型车必须要跑出好成绩。
不过，XiaoMi的这场纽北征途却频频发生意外。
到了10月9日和10日的时候，由于赛道所在地一直下雨，导致XiaoMi SU7 Ultra原型车迟迟不能开跑，雷军在微博上说，”大家非常绝望”。毕竟，纽北不仅难跑，还非常难约。如果错过了这个机会，那么下一次再跑就不确定什么时候了。更何况，XiaoMi SU7 Ultra原型车的纽北成绩还要配合XiaoMi SU7 Ultra的发布和上市。
因此，这次有了雷军在10月10日发了5条微博，感叹征战纽北”遗憾”的一幕。
不过，事情的发展很快又迎来了转机。
据雷军透露，10月17日，纽北官方为XiaoMi协调了i-Pool联盟1小时的时间，但最终因为大雨的原因XiaoMi SU7 Ultra原型车又没能上赛道；10月21日，XiaoMi协调了同行包场的间隙时间，但最终还是没能上赛道。
直到10月24日，纽北才又给了XiaoMi10月28日中午11点到12点这1个小时的时间来刷圈。
充满挑战的是，在这1个小时的时间里，除了刷圈以外，XiaoMi还需要完成勘察赛道、调试车辆等多项任务。当然，还要看天气能不能给面子不再下雨了 — 10月28日，距离XiaoMi SU7 Ultra发布仅有一天的时间了，团队和车辆的表现，甚至天气都不容有分毫闪失。
到了10月28日当天，XiaoMi便开始了紧张的刷圈工作，雷军透露：
- 11点，开始勘查赛道；
- 11点30分，勘查结束，装载轮胎，调试车辆；
- 11点50分，正式发车；
- 11点56分46秒874，XiaoMi SU7 Ultra原型车冲线完成，取得圈速；
- 12点，XiaoMi团队准时离赛道；
- 18点50分，纽北官方确认圈速成绩，XiaoMi SU7 Ultra原型车拿下6分46秒874的成绩。
6分46秒874的成绩让XiaoMi SU7 Ultra原型车成为纽北赛道史上最快的四门车。在XiaoMi SU7 Ultra原型车创下记录后，雷军在微博上说：> This is a miracle, and a new beginning.
However, a time of 6 minutes 46.874 seconds may not be the limit for the Xiaomi SU7 Ultra prototype. Lei Jun noted that on October 28, the Nürburgring still had 20% of its track wet, and they only completed one lap. They will continue to fight next year.
Overall, despite various unexpected events, Xiaomi’s first venture at Nürburgring forged the top-tier performance and racing-grade technology of the Xiaomi SU7 Ultra production version under very extreme conditions, while adding an exceptionally poignant twist to Xiaomi’s Nürburgring story.
It can be seen that from the Xiaomi SU7’s launch to the SU7 Ultra prototype’s Nürburgring run, and now to the launch of the SU7 production version, Xiaomi has meticulously plotted a comprehensive strategy.
In this process, the Xiaomi SU7 became the fundamental pivot, while the SU7 Ultra prototype’s Nürburgring run and the production version’s release were key focal points. One by one, these milestones were connected, step by step elevating the market momentum of Xiaomi Automotive to new heights.
At the same time, through the Nürburgring challenge, Xiaomi’s automotive technology reserves were further enriched, and with the further scaling of related technologies, this can bring uniquely valuable core product strengths to Xiaomi Automotive’s future products.
Moreover, backed by tangible results, Xiaomi can fully demonstrate its technical capabilities, gradually changing the stereotype of Xiaomi lacking core technology. In a conversation with veteran media personality Li Xiang in April, Lei Jun stated that the market’s perception of Xiaomi remains superficial, underestimating or disregarding its efforts and dedication in research and development.
It is noteworthy that competing alongside global top car manufacturers like Porsche, Xiaomi can create a high-value, thrilling brand narrative, thus further elevating Xiaomi’s brand stature.
In Conclusion
The Nürburgring is a challenge for Xiaomi, but it is absolutely not the endpoint.
So far, Xiaomi is the only domestic tech company to venture directly into car manufacturing from consumer electronics. This means Xiaomi needs to conduct more rigorous explorations and innovations in core technologies, organizational systems, business models, and manufacturing. After all, there is no complete success precedent for making such a cross-industry move.
More challenging is Lei Jun’s view that the automotive industry, like the mobile phone industry, will reach a point where the winner takes all. Ultimately, globally, only about 5-8 car manufacturers may survive—posing a particularly arduous challenge for Xiaomi.
Meanwhile, the success of Xiaomi Automotive is actually tied to the fate of Xiaomi phones. In his conversation with Li Xiang, Lei Jun mentioned that the domestic smartphone market has entered its final elimination round, where it’s impossible for all the major domestic phone companies to survive. If Xiaomi Automotive succeeds, Xiaomi phones are bound to win.Based on Lei Jun’s statement, in the next decade, XiaoMi aims to become a global leader in the new generation of technology; in the next 15-20 years, XiaoMi aspires to be one of the world’s top five automakers.
From this perspective, while the XiaoMi SU7 Ultra continues to challenge Nürburgring Nordschleife, striving to become the fastest mass-produced four-door electric car on earth, XiaoMi is also conquering an “invisible Nürburgring Nordschleife.” This “invisible Nürburgring Nordschleife” clearly requires XiaoMi to conquer it with a higher perspective and more effort over a longer timeframe, taking one solid step at a time.
This article is a translation by AI of a Chinese report from 42HOW. If you have any questions about it, please email bd@42how.com.