Chinese EVs Are Raising the Bar
Chinese EVs still get mixed reactions, with many questioning their long-term reliability and whether the brands can be trusted. Others, meanwhile, are starting to notice how these cars are doing things no one saw coming. That second group is getting bigger fast, with BYD’s Yangwang U9 electric hypercar leading the pack. Another Chinese brand also made headlines – the Xiaomi SU7 Ultra. Yes, that Xiaomi – the one known for phones and gadgets.
It’s easy to look at the specs and think this is just another numbers battle, but performance cars prove themselves on the road, not just on paper. That’s where Carwow’s latest test comes in. The Xiaomi SU7 Ultra goes head-to-head with Ferrari’s SF90 XX – one of the wildest road cars Ferrari has ever built – to see what happens when a high-powered EV takes on a modern hybrid supercar in less-than-ideal conditions.
Big Power, Big Weight, Bigger Surprise
On paper, the Xiaomi SU7 Ultra’s numbers barely seem real. Three motors, 1,526 horsepower, and 1,305 lb-ft of torque – all sent to all four wheels. The catch? It’s heavy, weighing in at about 5,200 pounds. Still, Xiaomi says it can hit 0-62 mph in just 1.98 seconds.
The Ferrari SF90 XX, though electrified, comes with a twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8 that puts out 786 hp on its own, and with three electric motors in the mix, total output climbs to 1,016 hp and 590 lb-ft of torque. Power goes to all four wheels, but the Ferrari is much lighter at around 3,660 pounds. It does 0-62 mph in about 2.3 seconds.
The Xiaomi SU7 Ultra had the advantage on paper, and it was evident in the straight-line contest. It finished the quarter-mile in 9.3 seconds, leaving the Ferrari behind at 10.2 seconds. Extended to the half-mile market, the gap grew even more: 14.5 seconds for the Xiaomi, 15.7 for the Ferrari. Braking from 100 mph showed Ferrari’s engineering at play, with the SF90 XX stopping over a car length shorter.
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Traction Tells the Real Story
There’s an explanation for the SF90 XX’s struggle, though. According to the video, a storm the day before left sand on the track, making traction a real issue. Even with all-wheel drive, the SF90 XX couldn’t get its power down cleanly. The Xiaomi, on the other hand, barely seemed to notice – EVs are just better at managing torque when grip is low.
The SU7’s win doesn’t mean the end for internal combustion among performance cars, but it shows just how fast things are changing. Electrification has reached a point where even newcomers with no car-building history can take on the established brands if the conditions are right.
The next chapter in performance cars will be about how well you can use the power you have, not just the badge on the hood. Then again, we’re pretty sure the track-focused Ferrari SF90 XX will shine when it comes to a lap battle.
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