To a certain extent, Lei Jun is facing a similar situation as Neil Armstrong during the Apollo 11 moon landing mission.

As Xiaomi's SU7 Ultra prototype has secured the 'world's first' title in its niche segment, Lei Jun and Xiaomi Motors have garnered significant praise but also faced numerous doubts. On the famed Nürburgring Nordschleife, the prototype achieved a lap time of 6 minutes and 46.874 seconds, ranking sixth among production cars in relevant statistics. It was preceded by the Lamborghini SVJ LP770-4 in July 2018 and followed by the Porsche 911 GT2 RS in September 2017.

The praise is well-deserved, as this achievement has never been accomplished by a Chinese automaker before. Lei Jun's perseverance has enabled the Chinese automotive industry, which has evolved for over 70 years, to make such a leap forward. While other automakers have focused on profiteering or other tasks, Xiaomi, a smartphone manufacturer, has made history for Chinese autos.

However, doubts persist, particularly during the launch event where Lei Jun presented the pre-sale price and performance metrics of the Xiaomi SU7 Ultra. Similar to Xiaomi and Huawei's tech product launches, new terms and concepts were introduced.

This echoes the ongoing debate about the authenticity of the Apollo 11 moon landing, which continues to gain traction 55 years after the event in July 1969.

The retracted trending hashtag can't prove anything definitive?

After Xiaomi or Huawei press conferences, online debates and clashes are inevitable, fueled by the cultivation of tech bloggers and the formation of a related interest ecosystem. Following the Xiaomi SU7 Ultra launch, supporters vastly outnumbered doubters or detractors.

Despite a pre-sale price exceeding 810,000 RMB, Xiaomi reported over 3,680 orders within 10 minutes. While the 10,000 RMB deposit is significantly higher than the 99 RMB threshold set by competitors like Xpeng, the deposit is fully refundable until the official launch in March next year. Thus, the true value of these orders remains unclear, but consumer enthusiasm is undeniably strong.

Amid the clash of opinions and online traffic, wallet votes hold more sway than mere rhetoric. Many have commented upon seeing the price, likening the car to a 'wealth filter' that directly separates those with financial means.

Certainly, there are more track performances that can convince most people. After meticulous coordination, the SU7 Ultra prototype managed to complete a single lap with impressive results. Xiaomi's official in-car video reveals that due to continuous rainfall in the days prior, many sections of the track were slippery, compromising grip. Additionally, fallen leaves further hindered performance. This suggests that the prototype could have achieved even faster times under optimal conditions. Even if surpassed by newer models in the near future, reclaiming the top spot in 2025 is merely a matter of time or luck.

Doubts and criticisms towards Xiaomi persist, necessitating Lei Jun's personal charm, subsequent victories, and track records to address them.

Of course, criticisms and doubts carry their own weight, primarily encompassing the following points:

1. The Nürburgring Nordschleife does not officially recognize a 'fastest four-door car.' Such claims are more often self-marketing by automakers or media reports, yet Xiaomi used it in their official press release headline.

2. On October 29, after Xiaomi announced the SU7 Ultra's Nürburgring lap time, the hashtag trended but was soon removed, fueling speculation of a connection to the first point.

3. There are notable differences between the prototype and the production version of the Xiaomi SU7 Ultra. Lei Jun himself acknowledged that achieving a sub-7-minute lap time in production would be impressive. For those unfamiliar with automobiles, simply observing the distinct air vents on the prototype's and production model's hoods reveals significant investment.

4. Regarding marketing, Xiaomi teased features like brake systems comparable to an entire car's worth and a 10-way adjustable BILSTEIN EVO TI coilover suspension shortly before the launch. While unfamiliar to the general public and even many automotive journalists, these terms actually refer to a used car and a suspension system costing around 20,000 RMB, respectively. During the launch, a small font in the presentation stated that the Xiaomi SU7 Ultra aims to become the fastest four-door production car, though this detail was easily overlooked.

5. Returning to track performance, the SU7 Prototype's lap time could warrant several separate articles if analyzed in detail. For instance, the Nürburgring's reconstruction for safety reasons has slightly reduced its difficulty, resulting in faster lap times for recent models compared to pre-reconstruction standards.

For example, in 2017, the Subaru WRX STi Type RA NUR Special achieved a 6:57.5 lap time in a more production-ready state, a benchmark that the Xiaomi SU7 Ultra aims to surpass. The Subaru boasts a top speed of 288 km/h and 600 hp, while the Xiaomi SU7 Ultra claims a 0-100 km/h time of 1.98 seconds, a top speed of 350 km/h, and 1,548 hp. While the racing adage 'subtract horsepower, not weight' holds true, the performance gap between the two is evident.

Furthermore, another Chinese brand, NIO, achieved a 6:45.90 lap time with their EP9 in 2017. Given more time and laps, the SU7 Prototype could potentially match or surpass this record. However, it's worth noting that NIO's achievement came during the company's third year of operation under Li Bin's leadership.

Moreover, the Xiaomi SU7 Prototype was tuned by ProDrive, renowned for their expertise in the Nürburgring and its terrain. The driver chosen for the record attempt was the 2023 Nürburgring lap champion, jokingly described as capable of completing the entire lap 'with their eyes closed.'

It is evident that Xiaomi, as the sole representative of China's smartphone-to-automotive industry transition, must continue to prove itself on the racetrack. While various doubts persist, the question of whether Chinese automotive technology leads the world globally remains to be validated by time.

Avoiding direct competition with Huawei: a different race

Does Xiaomi's lap record and 'world's first' title in its niche segment signify that Chinese automotive technology is globally ahead? This remains an unanswered question. Proponents argue that China leads in core technologies and industrialization, as echoed by Academician Ouyang Minggao and Tesla CEO Elon Musk. Ford's CEO has even admitted to falling behind.

Opponents, however, cite examples like NIO's 2017 EP9 lap record and the shift in European regulations favoring electric vehicles since 2018. The EU's plan to phase out internal combustion engines by 2020 has prompted automakers to halt R&D investments in gasoline-powered technology.

In essence, the Xiaomi SU7 Ultra Prototype has outperformed gasoline-powered technologies from six years ago and matched a racing car from seven years ago.

Such debates are inconsequential. What Xiaomi needs is to leverage its automotive business to unlock a new growth trajectory, following years of slow progress in the high-end smartphone market. This strategy is already yielding tangible results.

On the day of the launch, Xiaomi became the top-selling pure electric vehicle brand among Chinese new energy automakers, surpassing Xpeng with just one model compared to Xpeng's six and ZEEKR's seven.

Behind the headlines, the more significant shift lies in Lei Jun's alternative approach to the automotive industry. In brief, China's two largest tech companies have adopted distinct technological paths, with Xiaomi avoiding direct competition with Huawei and vice versa. While not explicitly stated, this divergence was evident at the recent World Intelligent Connected Vehicle Conference, where Yu Chengdong confidently predicted L3 autonomy by 2025, while Lei Jun positioned intelligent driving as more of an assistive feature for now.

With the Xiaomi SU7 Ultra, Xiaomi has solidified its automotive DNA. While Huawei doesn't directly manufacture cars, it has established itself as a leader in intelligent technologies. This divergence will continue to fuel debates between proponents of 'driving-centric' and 'tech-centric' approaches.

Furthermore, it's worth noting a detail overlooked by many during the launch: Lei Jun teased a significant breakthrough in intelligent driving technology at the World Intelligent Connected Vehicle Conference.

Key details from Lei Jun's announcement include the rollout of city-level autonomous driving features on October 30 for Xiaomi SU7 owners equipped with lidar. End-to-end, large-scale autonomous driving capabilities, enabling vehicles to navigate complex road conditions like lane changes and turns, will enter internal testing in late November and be rolled out to a limited audience in December.

The core takeaway here is that, aside from Tesla's FSD not yet available in China, intelligent driving technologies are entering their final stages of development. Huawei, Li Auto, Xpeng, and IM Motors have already implemented full-scale rollouts, with Xiaomi set to follow suit in December. Baidu and Geely's joint venture, JiYue, which has just started public testing for its Zeekr models, represents two additional competitors in this space.

However, at a deeper level, everything still boils down to a game that will influence the development path of China's automotive industry, namely the Huawei faction versus the Xiaomi faction. The most crucial aspect of Xiaomi's intelligent driving is not about end-to-end, parking spot to parking spot, or door-to-door navigation. Rather, as Lei Jun emphasized, Xiaomi has incorporated an additional safety model. This means that in intelligent driving scenarios, Xiaomi has prepared for potential situations where control may be lost or safety compromised. Put simply, this is distinct from the typical prompt systems that require drivers to take over or brake, and if the expectations are set higher, it could even be approached from the perspective of racing-level intelligent driving, such as pursuing safe and limit cornering and overtaking maneuvers. After all, Lei Jun's automotive vision is grounded in innovation, and no one doubts his ability to pull off bold moves.

Huawei's path, on the other hand, is clearly aimed at rapidly advancing towards autonomous driving. On October 25th of this year, Huawei quietly released the ADS Pro V3.1 version and even promptly opened up beta testing for V3.2 the following day. Based on previous ADS 3.0 performance, it was already very close to hands-free autonomous driving, and the new version further brings vehicles closer to the proficiency of experienced drivers. Consequently, numerous tests have yielded similar conclusions: under similar road conditions and traffic congestion, intelligent driving reduces travel time by 10% or more. Remarkably, even in extreme scenarios where the accelerator pedal is misapplied, the vehicle can be safely brought to a stop by the system.

Closing Thoughts

At present, the core differences in approach between the two are evident: Huawei focuses on vehicles that are 'driver-optional,' pursuing higher levels of autonomy, while Xiaomi prioritizes intelligent assistance for primarily driver-operated vehicles. Neither approach is inherently right or wrong; the world is not black and white. Nevertheless, they have a significant impact on consumers' purchasing decisions.

For instance, users who prefer traditional gasoline-powered vehicles, those who do not want intelligent systems to interfere with their driving, or those who are older or more conservative in their habits will likely make different choices. A recent example is Buick's offer of free Bluetooth physical keys to Lacrosse owners who already have NFC card keys, highlighting varying degrees of acceptance for new technologies.

As such, the intense competition seen in the mobile phone industry is unlikely to be fully replicated in the automotive sector.