Xiaomi's gold content is still increasing

Author｜Wang Lei

Editor｜Qin Zhangyong

Xiaomi's most expensive new car is here - SU7 Ultra - with a pre-sale price of 814,900 yuan.

It's hard to argue that this price isn't expensive, but this car does have many impressive features, such as being the fastest four-door prototype car at the Nurburgring, 1,548 horsepower, 0-100km/h in 1.98 seconds, standard carbon-ceramic brake discs, a top speed of 350km/h, and more.

Even at such a high price, it still received the support of Xiaomi fans with real money. After the conference, Lei Jun posted on Weibo that within 10 minutes, pre-orders for the Xiaomi SU7 Ultra exceeded 3,680 units.

The attributes of this car may not make it a high-volume model, but it fully demonstrates a fact:

On the pinnacle of the global automotive industry, Xiaomi has a place.

01 Race car that can legally hit the road

Lei Jun was bored when talking about phones but energetic when talking about the SU7.

During the last half-hour of Xiaomi's three-hour new product conference, Lei Jun was still on top of his game, even motivating the audience, "I know everyone is tired by now, but the most important product of the day is coming up!"

Lei Jun started with his signature "benchmarking" section, setting a new Nurburgring lap record of 6 minutes 46.874 seconds. Xiaomi displayed this speed in their PPT: the fastest four-door car in Nurburgring history (regardless of power source).

Moreover, this lap time was achieved after only one run, made in a rush the day before the conference. This means that with more time and adjustments, the lap time of the Xiaomi SU7 Ultra prototype could be even faster.

However, it should be noted that this achievement was made by the Xiaomi SU7 Ultra (Prototype), a race track prototype built on Xiaomi's pure electric architecture, designed specifically for the track. Lei Jun described it as "completely without regard for cost or price."

Lei Jun was honest at the conference, stating that this Nurburgring lap was only a prototype and not a mass-produced vehicle, but they will continue to set lap times after the mass-produced vehicle is released. "Mass-produced vehicles need to consider costs and prices. The road ahead for Xiaomi is long, and we need to proceed with reverence."

So, when the mass-produced version of the Xiaomi SU7 Ultra is finally presented to the public, it does not appear as aggressive as the Prototype version on the Nurburgring track.

The mass-produced model makes certain compromises and retentions based on the prototype. However, this does not prevent Lei Jun from repeatedly emphasizing that this is his "Dream Car."

For example, there are no exaggerated aerodynamic designs like large rear wings or roll cages, but the Xiaomi SU7 Ultra retains as many race-inspired configurations as possible within legal limits.

Moreover, the core three-electric technologies of the three-motor system, battery, and thermal management system are identical to those of the prototype, making it fully capable of racing on the track. Most importantly, it can legally hit the road.

In terms of appearance, the body dimensions have been further increased, with a length of 5,115mm, a width of 1,970mm, and a height of 1,465mm. The wheelbase remains unchanged at 3,000mm.

Based on the Xiaomi SU7 Max model, more aerodynamic packages have been added, such as an oversized front splitter and air dam, paired with a "U-shaped" wind knife, a larger intake grille opening, an active rear diffuser that supports 0°-16° adjustment, and a fixed carbon fiber rear wing.

It's worth mentioning that the fixed carbon fiber rear wing on the SU7 Ultra has a wingspan of 1,560mm and a chord length of 240mm. Lei Jun stated that this is the largest area possible under legal road-going conditions.

These aerodynamic packages provide a maximum downforce of up to 285kg for the entire vehicle. Although this is far less than the prototype's exaggerated figure of 2,145kg, it can still compete with many million-dollar supercars among mass-produced vehicles.

To create a sporty and lightweight feel, a total of 17 components throughout the vehicle are made of carbon fiber, with a total area of 3.74 square meters. Examples include the 1.7-square-meter carbon fiber roof, rear wing, welcome step, seat backplate, and center console trim.

The interior is also meticulously designed. The Xiaomi SU7 Ultra features all-new sports seats with upgraded active side bolster support, faster response times, and increased support area. The seats feature new racing stripe embroidery and an Ultra-exclusive embroidered logo, and the entire vehicle uses approximately 5 square meters of Alcantara fabric.

Moving on to the most crucial powertrain, the SU7 Ultra mass-production version retains the prototype's three-motor system, consisting of two Xiaomi-developed super motors V8s and one super motor V6s. The V8s can reach a maximum speed of 27,200rpm, making it the fastest and most powerful mass-produced main drive motor on the market.

The combined maximum horsepower of the three motors reaches 1,548hp, with a 0-100km/h acceleration time of only 1.98 seconds (excluding launch time) and a 0-200km/h acceleration time of only 5.86 seconds. The designed top speed is 350km/h, with the clear goal of becoming the fastest four-door mass-produced car on the planet.

In addition to its top-tier powertrain, the Xiaomi SU7 Ultra also carries the same high-power battery pack as the prototype, utilizing CTB (Cell to Body) integration technology and CATL's Qilin II batteries, which can provide a maximum discharge power of 1,330kW. Even with only 20% battery remaining, the discharge power can still reach 800kW, and it only takes 11 minutes to charge from 10% to 80%. Under CLTC conditions, it achieves a driving range of 630 kilometers.

In addition to its three-electric performance, the chassis performance is also impressive. In addition to being equipped with a three-motor torque vector control system, it also comes standard with closed double-cavity air springs and high-performance variable damping shock absorbers. In standard mode, it offers higher comfort; in sport mode, it provides stronger support.

Optionally, you can install a more professional coilover suspension - the Bilstein EVO T1 coilover suspension. This coilover suspension's structure, stiffness, and damping are custom-tailored for the Xiaomi SU7 Ultra. It features a dual-circuit adjustment design with a 10-stage adjustment knob, and its market price is more than four times that of ordinary coilovers.

At the same time, the brake system is also top-notch, equipped with oversized carbon-ceramic brake discs designed for racing. The front brake discs have a diameter of 430mm, making them the largest carbon-ceramic brake discs used in sedans to date.

Compared to ordinary brake discs, they are not only lighter (by 57kg) but also have high heat resistance, with a maximum operating temperature exceeding 1,300°C, more than twice that of ordinary steel brake discs. Their normal service life is almost maintenance-free.

The Xiaomi SU7 Ultra is equipped with professional Akebono six-piston front and four-piston rear brake calipers. With this double buff, the Xiaomi SU7 Ultra can stop from 100km/h in only 30.8 meters and maintain consistent braking performance for 10 consecutive stops from 180km/h without fading.

02 Is 800,000 yuan expensive?

The Xiaomi SU7 Ultra is also impressively hardcore on the inside.

The Ultra comes with an exclusive infotainment system. When you start the Xiaomi SU7 Ultra, you'll see a cooler interface with different displays on the center console, instrument cluster, and HUD. The Boost mode interface is even more impactful. There are also three sporty sound options: Hyper Power, Hyper Sound, and Hyper Pulse.

Interestingly, Xiaomi included a feature on the Ultra model that is not encouraged but is very popular with users.

An external speaker with a power of 40W has been added to the vehicle. This external speaker mainly supports the external playback of engine sounds and can be turned on or off independently. Now, the simulated engine sound of electric vehicles is no longer just for the driver's enjoyment but can also "turn heads" on the street.

In addition, the "Race Master" app is exclusively available for the Ultra, displaying real-time lap times, vehicle status, driving mode adjustments, and other vehicle information.

For example, during track driving, you can set a benchmark lap time and display the difference between the current lap time and the benchmark in real-time. After the flying lap, it provides historical lap time statistics and visual analysis of results, allowing you to query key parameters such as maximum speed, maximum G-force, steering angle, and braking force, helping you quickly identify strengths and weaknesses and improve your skills.

After track driving, you can also create professional first-person perspective videos by adding vehicle speed, G-force, and other data to the track videos for quick sharing. Currently, Xiaomi Automobile has partnered with 20 professional race tracks across the country, adding track maps and lap time rankings to the app.

At the same time, there are different driving modes to choose from, including Endurance Race, Qualifying, Drift, and Custom modes, allowing you to participate in races in an instant.

For daily driving, you can also choose modes such as Novice, Eco, Wet, Sport, and Custom, allowing you to enjoy maximum driving fun and safety whether on the road or on the track.

If there's one regret, it's that this wasn't the official launch event for the Xiaomi SU7 Ultra.

According to the presentation in the conference PPT, the Ultra model will have comprehensive upgrades in intelligent driving, intelligent cockpit, safety, and luxury configurations. However, Lei Jun did not provide detailed introductions this time but left the mystery for the official launch event of the Xiaomi SU7 Ultra in March 2025.

However, quite a bit of progress in Xiaomi's vehicle delivery and intelligent driving was revealed.

First, regarding the delivery volume of the SU7 this month, the milestone of delivering 20,000 units was achieved ahead of schedule before the end of October. This is another achievement after Tesla's Model 3, making it the first medium to large-sized pure electric sedan in China to deliver 20,000 units in a single month.

Xiaomi SU7's cumulative deliveries will also reach the goal of 100,000 vehicles ahead of schedule in November, aiming to sprint towards the new annual delivery target of 120,000 vehicles.

In addition, Lei Jun also reported on Xiaomi's progress in intelligent driving: On October 30, Xiaomi's intelligent driving city pilot will begin to roll out, but it will be limited to SU7 Pro and Max models, available nationwide.

The next step is to fully connect to the "end" by utilizing the end-to-end large model and the VLM visual language large model. This timeline is set for the end of November, with targeted invitation beta testing starting and the pioneer version rollout scheduled for the end of December.

The full integration of the end-to-end large model is not only reflected in city navigation but also extends to point-to-point navigation, enabling immediate use upon entering the vehicle, including automatic passage through ETC/gates, narrow road passage/detours, and end-to-end automated parking scenarios.

Xiaomi's automotive goal is to "enter the industry's top tier in 2024." Despite starting late, it aims to catch up with the industry's pace, supported by significant financial investments from Xiaomi.

Currently, the total investment in the first phase of full-stack self-developed intelligent driving technology has been increased from 3.3 billion yuan to 4.7 billion yuan, with a dedicated team of over 1,000 people.

"Xiaomi's R&D investment is expected to exceed 24 billion yuan in 2024 and reach 30 billion yuan in 2025." This is Lei Jun's latest statement.

Lastly, regarding the Ultra's pricing, Lei Jun stated at the conference that when Xiaomi SU7 was launched, the industry criticized it for not having pre-sales or small reservations, breaking industry rules. Therefore, for Xiaomi SU7 Ultra, it will follow industry rules and first announce a pre-sale price.

However, unlike the impact of Xiaomi SU7's launch, the pre-sale price of 814,900 yuan sets a high threshold that deters many potential buyers.

Lei Jun joked, "Some might say, 'Your car is selling for 800,000 yuan; has Xiaomi gone rogue?'"

But Lei Jun immediately responded, "When we create products, we only consider whether they are good enough, whether they are worth it, and whether they exceed everyone's expectations.""

The market's feedback is always the most genuine response. Within 10 minutes, Xiaomi SU7 Ultra's small reservation volume exceeded 3,680 units, generating revenue of 36.8 million yuan.

It still has to be Mr. Lei.