Xiaomi announced that its YU7 GT electric SUV has set what the company described as the world’s first autonomous-driving lap record for a production SUV at Germany’s Nürburgring Nordschleife circuit.
The vehicle completed the 20.8-kilometer track in 10 minutes and 29.483 seconds using its autonomous-driving system, according to Xiaomi.
Autonomous Driving Demonstration
The lap was conducted as a public demonstration of the intelligent-driving capabilities integrated into the production version of the YU7 GT.
The Nürburgring Nordschleife, often regarded as one of the most demanding automotive test tracks in the world, features more than 70 corners, significant elevation changes, and complex driving conditions.
Completing a full lap autonomously requires a vehicle’s perception, planning, and control systems to operate continuously under challenging conditions.
Xiaomi said the achievement represents a milestone for its intelligent-driving technology and a foundation for future development.
“This is a new starting point rather than an end point,” the company said in a statement.
Comparison With Driver-Controlled Record
The autonomous lap time remains significantly slower than the vehicle’s performance with a professional driver behind the wheel.
In May, Xiaomi announced that the YU7 GT had recorded a Nürburgring production SUV lap time of 7 minutes and 22.755 seconds, setting a new benchmark for the category at the time.
The autonomous run was approximately three minutes and seven seconds slower than that driver-assisted record.
Performance-Focused Electric SUV
The YU7 GT was officially launched on May 21 and is positioned as the highest-performance version of Xiaomi’s electric SUV lineup.
The model starts at 389,900 yuan ($57,580) in China, while the fully equipped version is priced at 429,900 yuan.
The vehicle is powered by Xiaomi’s Super Motor V8s EVO dual-motor system, producing a combined output of 738 kW, equivalent to 1,003 horsepower.
According to the company, the SUV can accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in 2.92 seconds and reach a top speed of 300 km/h.
High-Voltage Charging System
The YU7 GT is equipped with a 101.7 kWh ternary lithium battery pack and offers a CLTC driving range of up to 705 kilometers.
Built on an 897-volt silicon-carbide high-voltage architecture, the vehicle supports ultra-fast charging.
Xiaomi said the battery can recover up to 570 kilometers of driving range in 15 minutes under suitable charging conditions.
Expanding Intelligent Vehicle Capabilities
The autonomous Nürburgring lap comes as automakers increasingly use high-profile track demonstrations to showcase advances in driver-assistance and autonomous-driving technologies.
For Xiaomi, which entered the automotive market only recently, the demonstration highlights the company’s efforts to combine high-performance electric vehicle technology with advanced intelligent-driving systems.
The company has indicated that it plans to continue developing and refining the autonomous capabilities of its vehicle platform in future iterations.
