Chinese consumer electronics and fast EV-making giant Xiaomi has officially gatecrashed the German performance party, claiming the Nurburgring Nordschleife SUV lap record with its incoming YU7 GT. This follows the YU7 sedan’s Nurburgring record last year.
Clocking a certified 7:34.931 around the 20.8km circuit, the electric high-rider narrowly dethroned the internal combustion Audi RS Q8 Performance (7:36.698), and pushed the Porsche Cayenne Turbo GT (7:38.925) further down the leaderboard. The run was piloted by Xiaomi chief test driver Ren Zhoucan, marking the first time a Chinese driver has secured an official Nurburgring lap certification.
Naturally, there is a slight asterisk attached to the achievement. Onboard footage confirms the record-setting vehicle was subjected to a severe diet, ditching its rear seats in favour of a full motorsport roll cage. Xiaomi claims this stripped-out configuration will be available to the public via a factory-optional ‘Track Package’, though it remains highly unlikely that actual buyers will subject a heavy electric family hauler to weekend track day abuse.
Regardless of the missing seats, the outright velocity on display is undeniable. Telemetry data logged the massive EV hitting a GPS-verified 299km/h down the Döttinger Höhe straight.
According to recent Chinese Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) filings, the production YU7 GT relies on a dual-motor, all-wheel drive architecture generating 738kW (990hp). Power is sourced from a 101.7kWh ternary lithium battery pack running an 800V electrical system, which reportedly yields a 10-80 per cent DC fast-charge in just 12 minutes.
The lap record serves as a highly calculated marketing flex ahead of the vehicle’s domestic market launch on May 21.
While Xiaomi’s automotive division is rapidly establishing a reputation for engineering unapologetic, track-capable hardware, there is currently no official timeline for the brand – or the YU7 GT – to launch in Australia. For now, local buyers will just have to watch the European establishment sweat from afar.
