Xiaomi SU7 Ultra hits almost 224 mph!

China's 1,548 bhp electric saloon continues to impress. And soon it will also have 'hyper-autonomous' driving

Photo by: Xiaomi

By: Alberto Carmone

Nov 18, 2024 at 5:35am ET

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The Xiaomi SU7 Ultra continues to impress. The extreme version of the Chinese electric saloon reached a top speed of 359.71 km/h (223.51 miles) during a test at the CATARC Yan Cheng Automotive Proving Ground.

The announcement was made by Xiaomi founder Lei Jun during the 2024 Guangzhou Auto Show. According to Jun, what limited the top speed reached by the SU7 Ultra was not the car itself, but the track itself.

Between speed records and autonomous driving

After the record-breaking time set at the Nurburgring (6:46.874 minutes) as a prototype at the end of October, the SU7 Ultra is back in the news. The monstrous 1,548 bhp saloon is already a commercial success in China with 3,680 pre-orders received in the first 10 minutes after sales opened. More than 100,000 units were produced in the model's first nine months.

The recorded top speed and fast lap on the Green Hell, however, are not the only features of the Xiaomi. During the Guangzhou Auto Show, Lei Jun also unveiled the HAD 'hyper-autonomous' driving system, which will be tested by the brand in the coming weeks, before arriving on all cars as an over-the-air upgrade in December.

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According to the brand, the HAD system "aims to improve driving efficiency and safety by providing smoother driving behaviour and reducing sudden acceleration and braking." The system uses real-world driving data to improve route predictions and adjust driving decisions based on traffic conditions and driver style.

Xiaomi pointed out that the system is capable of driving in complex environments, such as tight spaces, busy intersections, and roads with obstacles. In this regard, the car uses Vision-Language Model (VLM) technology, designed to help the car itself better handle complex scenarios, including uneven road surfaces, construction zones, and T-junctions.