China’s budget-friendly electric sedan, Xiaomi SU7 Ultra, has just humiliated one of Ferrari’s most extreme supercars in straight-line drag races.
Earlier this month, the China-made electric sedan went up against the Ferrari SF90 XX at a drag strip in Abu Dhabi. The showdown, organized by Carwow.
Ferrari represents decades of motorsport heritage and ultra-exclusive engineering. Xiaomi, on the other hand, is globally known for smartphones and consumer tech. Yet on this track, the tech giant’s electric sedan stole the spotlight.
The races were held just days after a sandstorm swept through the area, leaving fine sand on the track. Such conditions usually favor advanced traction systems rather than roaring engines. Carwow’s Mat Watson drove the Xiaomi, while Sam took the wheel of the Ferrari.
Setting up launch control on the Xiaomi took some time, buried deep within its digital menus. But once activated, the outcome was immediate. The SU7 Ultra exploded off the line, leaving the Ferrari struggling to keep up.
The Xiaomi completed the quarter-mile drag race in 9.3 seconds, while the Ferrari crossed in 10.2 seconds. In the half-mile run, the Xiaomi finished the race in 14.5 seconds, compared to the Ferrari’s 15.7 seconds.
While there were no rolling races, the message was already clear. A $73,000–$75,000 Chinese electric sedan had just beaten a $900,000 Ferrari in straight-line acceleration.
Here’s the video of the race:
The Xiaomi SU7 Ultra comes with staggering figures. It uses three electric motors producing a combined 1,526 horsepower and 1,305 lb-ft of torque, sending power to all four wheels. Despite weighing around 5,200 pounds, Xiaomi claims it can sprint from 0 to 62 mph in just 1.98 seconds, territory usually reserved for hypercars.
The Ferrari SF90 XX takes a more traditional high-performance route. Its twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8 generates 786 horsepower, which jumps to around 1,016 horsepower when combined with three electric motors. Torque stands at about 590 lb-ft. It also uses all-wheel drive but weighs significantly less at roughly 3,660 pounds. Ferrari lists its 0–62 mph time at approximately 2.3 seconds.
For anyone still doubting the performance potential of Chinese EVs, this race may be impossible to ignore.