Xiaomi has confirmed that the YU7 GT has completed the first fully automated lap of the Nürburgring Nordschleife, marking a notable milestone for the brand’s autonomous driving development programme. The run was completed without any human input behind the wheel, establishing an initial benchmark for the production software that will underpin the car’s self-driving capabilities going forward.
A High-Voltage Platform Built for Sustained Performance
The YU7 GT is built around an 897V Silicon Carbide high-voltage architecture paired with a 101.7 kWh ternary lithium battery pack. This feeds into Xiaomi’s in-house Super Motor V8s EVO setup, which has been engineered to maintain thermal efficiency and consistent electrical output under prolonged high-load conditions.
Peak output from the dual-motor drivetrain stands at 738 kW (1,003 hp), enabling a 0 to 100 km/h sprint in 2.92 seconds and a governed top speed of 300 km/h (186 mph). On a full charge, the YU7 GT achieves a certified CLTC range of 705 km.
Fast Charging to Match the Performance
The high-voltage charging system can replenish up to 570 km of range in just 15 minutes, targeting the thermal management challenges that have historically limited sustained performance in electric vehicles. Engineers designed the entire system to deliver stable power output across extended operating cycles rather than just brief bursts.
The battery cooling layout plays a central role here. By managing core temperature rises during rapid energy discharge, the system preserves uniform current density across the cells, which directly supports the kind of sustained output required by autonomous performance algorithms.
The Autonomous Lap Time
During the track trial, the YU7 GT’s autonomous driving system recorded an official lap time of 10 minutes and 29.483 seconds. That is 3 minutes and 7 seconds slower than the manual benchmark set by a driver, a gap that reflects the difference between algorithmic safety margins and the boundary-pushing approach of a trained human at the wheel.
In terms of earlier manual records, the YU7 GT previously set an SUV lap time of 7 minutes and 22.755 seconds during development testing, improving on an initial benchmark of 7 minutes and 34.931 seconds recorded ahead of the model’s commercial launch.
Pricing and Sales Figures
The YU7 GT went on sale in China with a starting price of 389,900 yuan (R939,659) and a fully loaded configuration priced at 429,900 yuan (R1,036,059).