A brand born with smartphones has just beaten Ferrari in acceleration. This is perhaps how we will remember this day. In the test by Carwow, a well-known YouTube channel that deals with reviews and various challenges, the Xiaomi SU7 Ultra closed the quarter mile in 9,3 seconds versus 10,2 of the Ferrari SF90 XX.
Xiaomi SU7 Ultra vs. Ferrari SF90 XX: Here's Where the Chinese Car Won
The challenge brought together two opposing philosophies. On the one hand, Xiaomi SU7 Ultra, Chinese electric sedan with three engines and 1.526 CV overall, over 2,4 tons of weight and four-wheel drive. On the other hand, the Ferrari SF90 XX, plug-in hybrid from the Prancing Horse with twin-turbo V8 and electric motors for 1.016 CV, several hundred kilos lighter. On paper, physics should have favored Maranello.
By the way, it is worth noting that these two names have been seen close together even before today, when the Chinese model was caught in Ferrari's warehouses last year. Coincidence?
After a storm, the asphalt retained sand residues that reduced grip. In these conditions, the instant torque of the electric car proved decisive: modulable with millimetric precision, it has allowed the Xiaomi of records to transfer power to the ground without losing traction.
The Ferrari, despite its four-wheel drive, struggled to unleash all its power. Over the half-mile, the gap widened further.
The verdict is reversed when looking at the moment of braking. In deceleration from high speed, the SF90 XX made up ground by stopping in a significantly smaller spaceThe low weight and the braking system designed for the track have asserted their superiority when it comes to dissipating kinetic energy.
What remains of this comparison? A precise technical fact: in conditions of limited grip, the Electronic torque management can compensate for considerable weight disadvantagesTraditional hypercars maintain clear advantages in braking and, presumably, in driving on the limit on a dry circuit. But the space where electrification can compete (and win) is expanding more rapidly than many predicted.
That said, there is still a long way to go before the Xiaomi electric cars arrive in Italy and Europe, although the success of Chinese brands is now there for all to see.
