1,548HP Xiaomi SU7 Ultra Takes on 1,030HP Ferrari SF90 XX in Drag Racing Showdown

At a drag strip in Abu Dhabi, the Ferrari SF90 XX, with its 1,030 horsepower hybrid setup, goes head-to-head against the Xiaomi SU7 Ultra, which has 1,548 horsepower from three electric motors. Sam is driving the Ferrari, and Mat Watson from CarWow is behind the wheel of the Xiaomi.

Who takes the wheel first is determined by a coin toss, and Mat is eager to stress out how different things are: the Ferrari costs an astounding £670,000 at home, while the Chinese sedan is priced from just £56,000. The Ferrari weighs 1,660 kg, whereas the Xiaomi weighs an incredible 2,360 kg. Power and torque favor the electric car massively, yet the lighter weight and hybrid system give the Italian machine a theoretical edge in some scenarios.

The Xiaomi’s launch control is a little difficult for Mat at first because it’s buried in the settings and takes 60 seconds to figure out, but once he gets the sequence correct, the cars take off. Once he nails the sequence, the cars launch. The Xiaomi surges ahead immediately, and Mat calls out in surprise as the Ferrari disappears in his mirrors, reduced to a distant yellow shape. The Xiaomi crosses the finish line in 9.3 seconds, while the Ferrari takes 10.2 seconds. There is a whole 0.9 second difference, which is equivalent to a difference in car length.

The sand from the storm that passed through the area a few days ago has rendered the surface quite slick, making the conditions rather difficult. The Ferrari spins its wheels more noticeably, while the Xiaomi manages its instant torque distribution better across all four wheels. For the half-mile run, Mat keeps his foot in. This time, he does a better launch, and the acceleration seems unrelenting. Early on, the Ferrari gets closer before retreating once more. The Ferrari takes 15.7 seconds to accomplish the larger distance, while the Xiaomi takes 14.5 seconds. Another decisive victory, this time by 1.2 seconds.

The reactions are rather quick, as you might imagine. Mat calls the Xiaomi’s pull “ballistic & bonkers” and acknowledges that he never in a million years expected a Ferrari to be so outmatched on a straight line. Sam, on the other hand, is a little somber now that the results are in. Prior to the start, he was rather confident. They choose to add a brake test from 100 mph to assess how they handle, but they don’t do roll races. The Ferrari appears to react slightly better in an emergency stop, but both vehicles brake very forcefully, which definitely comes in handy at the track.