1,562bhp Chinese EV smashes its Nürburgring time, becomes third fastest overall

A very yellow, very fast electric car from China has gone unfeasibly fast around a scary racetrack in Germany. Xiaomi, makers of the SU7 Ultra Prototype, has once again sent this mad, bad, 1,562bhp prototype on a hot lap, and hoo boy is it hot.

Because where last year this car managed 6m 46.874s – and thus becoming the fastest four-door car to lap the ‘Ring – this year it’s managed a scarcely believable 6m 22.091s. That makes it the third fastest car overall around the Green Hell, behind only the Volkswagen ID.R and Porsche 919 Evo.

What. The. Indeed. Xiaomi has not explained exactly how it managed to carve off 24 seconds from its original already-bat***-quick time, only saying this run was timed “under optimal conditions”. That’s a polite way of putting it.

Nothing polite about the SU7’s drivetrain, of course. It’s got something called a ‘HyperEngine V8s’, which doesn’t mean that, sadly, but does mean three electric motors capable of spinning up to 27,200rpm. They’re powered by a powerful battery, generating that immense power figure.

Naturally the SU7 Ultra Prototype gets bespoke aero – which in last year’s record-breaking car could generate 285kg of downforce – so we can only wonder if it’s even more bespoke for this year’s run. Elsewhere you’ll find big brakes, adaptive dampers, and the ability to chalk off 0-62mph in 1.98s (with a one-foot rollout).

You’ll notice the ‘Prototype’ in this car’s suffix. No, you can’t purchase an example like the one that did 6m 22.091s, but Xiaomi is selling a ‘Track Package’ car – Bilsteins, Pirelli P Zeros, carbon fibre wheel arches, 21s etc – and a ‘Nürburgring Limited Edition’.

That car gets everything the Track Pack offers, along with a six-point harness, racing buckets, roll cage, and various bits crafted from carbon fibre including the underbody aero panels, bonnet, skirts, and rear spoiler.

But you don’t want to know about that. You want to watch a very yellow, very fast electric car from China go interminably fast around a scary racetrack in Germany. And hoo boy, does it go fast.