TMTPOST -- Chinese leading smartphone maker Xiaomi Corporation furthers its efforts to upend the electric vehicle (EV) sector with its high-horsepower luxury car sold at a price much lower than expected.

Credit：Xiaomi

Xiaomi announced its first luxury EV SU7 Ultra officially went on sale on Thursday. The regular version of production SU7 Ultra, just as the prototype showed last year,is powered by the tri-motor configuration--two V8s e-motors and one V6s e-motor, marking the first mass production of Xiaomi's in-house HyperEngine V8s. It can go 0-100 kilometer/hour (km/h), or 0-62 mph, in a scorching 1.97 seconds, and features a top speed of 350km/h (217.48 mph), along with an acceleration from 0-100 km/h in 1.98 seconds, and a maximum of 1,548 horsepower.

SU7 Ultra also shares track-optimized, high-power battery pack as the prototype, debuting CATL Qilin 2.0 battery. As one of the most powerful mass-produced battery packs available, it delivers a maximum discharge rate of 16C and a maximum discharge power of 1330kW. When the power is only 20% left, the discharge power can still reach 800kW. The highest charging rate is 5.2C, enabling 10% to 80% charging in just 11 minutes.

Xiaomi touted SU7 Ultra as the fastest mass-produced four-door sedan in the world. The SU7 Ultra Prototype completed its first Nürburgring Nordschleife lap challenge late October, breaking the seven-year record for the fastest four-door sedan with a time of 6'46"874 -- making the first time a Chinese brand has claimed the title of "The Nürburgring Nordschleife World's Fastest Four-Door Car". Xiaomi said the mass-produced SU7 Ultra will challenge the Nürburgring Nordschleife this year as well.

The track-optimized cooling system enables SU7 Ultra to complete two laps on the Nürburgring Nordschleife without overheating. And with a top-level braking system, the hyperca can achieve a braking distance of only 30.8m from 100km/h to 0. It is also equipped with a peak chassis system tuned for the Nürburgring Nordschleife, delivering better chassis control and a higher control ceiling.

SU7 Ultra builds on SU7 Max with an added aerodynamic kit and larger body dimensions. At 5115mm length, 1970mm width and 1465mm height, SU7 Ultra is about the size of the Porsche Taycan Turbo GT. Xiaomi aims to make SU7 Ultra to rival the performance of a Porsche, the tech of a Tesla, and the luxury of three German luxury car giants--Mercedes-Benz, BMW, and Audi-- so-called BBA, said CEO Lei Jun at an event on Thursday.

With five body colors available including white, black, green yellow and silver, the standard SU7 ultra starts at RMB529,900, or nearly US$73,000. That is surprisingly 35%, or 285,000, cheaper than its pre-sales price of RMB814,900. Xiaomi also offers optional configurations including the Nürburgring Limited Edition sold at RMB814,900. The limited edition and the optional Racing Package will be avalibale when the producion SU7 Ultra has completed its Nürburgring Nordschleife lap challenge. Buyers who place the order by March 31 will enjoy up to RMB90,000 worth of benefits.

SU7 Ultra adopts advanced software features to ensure an immersive driving experience. By seamlessly integrating a "Human x Car x Home" smart ecosystem through XiaoAi AI voice assistant, users can enjoy a fully connected and immersive cabin experience. To support these software features, Xiaomi SU7 Ultra is equipped with the flagship Snapdragon 8295 chip platform across all variants. Combined with the powerful compatibility of Xiaomi HyperOS, it enables precise allocation of hardware resources, ensuring a responsive, smooth, and seamless infotainment system.

To deliver a more refined and luxurious dring experience, SU7 Ultra introduces a newly upgraded electric hood, operable via smartphone, XiaoAi AI voice commands, and newly added physical buttons for added convenience. In addition, the vehicle now features dual 50W wireless phone charging, auto-dimming rearview mirrors, BSD (blind-spot detection) lights, and three-level adjustable color temperature and brightness for the front vanity mirrors.

For better safety protection, SU7 Ultra introduces new features such as MAI (Mis-Acceleration Inhibition) and LAEB (Low Speed Autonomous Emergency Braking). In situations with a collision risk in which the accelerator pedal will not respond, the system will automatically suppress vehicle acceleration. Additionally, when a collision with an obstacle is detected, the system will activate the Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB) system to complete braking, further avoiding or mitigating collision risks.

Just as the regular SU7, the hypercar variant SU7 Ultra saw a strong start of orders. Xiaomi said it secured more than 6,900 vehicles in ten minutes since it began to receive orders, and orders topped 10,000 units in the first two hours of the SU Ultra ordering. The company will start deliveries in April. Xiaomi targets sales of 10,000 units this year for SU7 Ultra, and felt 90% certain that it can meet the annual target, Lei Jun said on Wednesday.