Xiaomi acknowledged that the brakes on its 663 hp EV were engineered for everyday driving, not high-performance track use.
On paper, the Xiaomi SU7 Max appears to be a true EV sports sedan, boasting 663 hp (673 PS / 495 kW), a claimed 0-62 mph (100 km/h) time of 2.8 seconds, and an impressive range of up to 497 miles on a single charge. While it promises speed, the SU7 seems to fall short when it comes to the braking performance required for track use.
In April, a Chinese influencer crashed the car while lapping the Shanghai Tianma Circuit. Footage of the incident shows the driver approaching a left-hand turn when things take a turn for the worse. Despite repeated efforts to steer, the car barely responds, eventually plowing through the track’s end, smashing into a barrier, and deploying its airbags.
The video, posted by Tang Zhu Liao Che (堂主撩車), has garnered millions of views. Tang Zhu also inspected the brakes, which had endured five hot laps prior to the crash. The small brake pads showed significant wear, underscoring the car’s limitations on the track.
In June, another influencer encountered a similar brake failure in an SU7 while driving on a track. In this case, the driver struggled to regain control, swerving the wheel before the crash. By the time the car hit the wall, it had almost completed a full rotation. While the airbags didn’t deploy, the driver’s seat broke apart as if it were made of cardboard.
Xiaomi issued a statement clarifying that the SU7 Max is not designed for track use:
“We strongly remind you that the Xiaomi SU7 Max is a high-performance luxury car intended for road use. Please refrain from extreme driving, such as on professional racing circuits. The braking system of the Xiaomi SU7 Max features NAO friction pads, which are suited for daily driving. These mainstream products balance braking noise and performance, meeting the demands of public road driving.
“Due to the high speeds, large kinetic energy, intense braking, and rapid wear of components under continuous high loads and temperatures on track conditions, all core components of the vehicle must meet far higher standards than those required for everyday driving.”
NAO, or non-asbestos organic, is effective for regular driving, but it faces challenges on the track. Xiaomi’s more powerful SU7 Ultra, which set an EV lap record at the Nürburgring last month with a 6:46.847 time, is equipped with carbon ceramic discs—430 mm at the front and 410 mm at the rear. These brakes can withstand temperatures up to 2,372°F (1,300°C) and are significantly more resistant to fade under track conditions.
It’s clear that slowing down a car of this power and weight (4,365–4,861 lb or 1,980–2,205 kg) is no easy feat. The Autopian notes that the Brembo brakes on the SU7 Max have pads smaller than those found on a Honda CR-V, a family SUV with about one-third of the power of the Chinese performance sedan.
Notably, during regular driving, the regenerative braking system helps supplement the mechanical brakes. While it can assist on the track, it also has its limits. This is why cars like the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N and Porsche Taycan Turbo GT feature massive brakes compared to their standard versions. Perhaps it’s time for Xiaomi to take a cue from more experienced automakers.
