1,500 horsepower for only 70,000 euros, is it reasonable?

With its SU7 Ultra, Xiaomi offers a 4-door, 5-seat sedan with hypercar performance for the price of a high-end family car.

Xiaomi has launched the high-performance electric sedan SU7 Ultra in China, with a starting price of 529,900 yuan, which is just over 70,000 euros. This car boasts a peak power of 1,526 horsepower and accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 1.98 seconds before reaching a top speed of 359 km/h. If that doesn’t mean much to you, it’s just the fastest sedan on the Nürburgring Nordschleife! The Chinese manufacturer plans to sell 10,000 units of this model by the end of 2025. The first deliveries will begin in April 2025.

The standard model of the Xiaomi SU7 was introduced in China in March 2024, with prices ranging from 215,900 to 299,900 yuan, or between 21,600 and 41,150 euros. Thanks to Xiaomi’s popularity in China, this model quickly established itself as a best-seller, with 140,000 units sold in 2024, and double the number of orders recorded. The wait time to receive this car is currently 6 to 8 months. The SU7 Ultra model was launched for pre-order in October 2024, with an initial price of 814,900 yuan, about 112,000 euros, before the final price was significantly adjusted downwards.

A race car for going… shopping

The appearance of the SU7 Ultra stands out with unique details, such as a larger front spoiler, reinforced brakes, and a rear wing, giving it a decidedly sporty look, if not very aesthetic. The widened body and the five available colors (black, white, yellow, silver, and green) give it a commanding presence. A small touch of luxury, on this version the manufacturer’s logo placed on the front hood is made of 24-karat gold. The interior is equally impressive with Alcantara seats, an OLED screen, an augmented reality heads-up display, and an advanced autonomous driving system with three LIDAR, twelve cameras, and five radars.

Under the hood, the SU7 Ultra is equipped with three electric motors providing a combined power of 1,138 kW (1,526 horsepower). The battery, with a capacity of 93.7 kWh, ensures a range of 620 km according to the CLTC cycle, or about 500 in the European WLTP cycle, and can recharge from 10 to 80% in just 11 minutes.

Xiaomi achieves a remarkable feat by offering a car with this performance at such a competitive price. However, one question remains: how many buyers will actually be able to handle the extreme performance of this car safely? With a top speed of over 359 km/h and lightning-fast accelerations, the Xiaomi SU7 Ultra represents a driving challenge, even for experienced drivers. By democratizing such technology, is the brand pushing the boundaries of accessibility too far? While innovation is undeniable, the question of safety and appropriate use of such a car remains essential.

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