In a shocking twist for electric vehicle enthusiasts, the Tesla Model S Plaid—a longtime titan of speed—was defeated in a head-to-head drag race by an unlikely rival: the Xiaomi SU7 Ultra. The surprise upset, captured in a now-viral video (watch here), has sent shockwaves through the EV community, raising questions about shifting dynamics in the high-performance electric car arena.
The race, organized by automotive YouTube channel Speed Showdowns, pitted Tesla’s 90,000flagshipsedanagainstXiaomi’s90,000flagshipsedanagainstXiaomi’s60,000 SU7 Ultra, a newcomer from a brand better known for smartphones and gadgets than race-ready EVs. Yet when the lights turned green, the Xiaomi surged ahead, crossing the quarter-mile finish line in a blistering 9.98 seconds—just 0.2 seconds faster than the Model S Plaid’s 10.18-second run.
How Did Xiaomi Pull It Off?
The result left even seasoned analysts scratching their heads. The Tesla Model S Plaid boasts a tri-motor setup producing 1,020 horsepower and a claimed 0-60 mph time of 1.99 seconds, making it one of the quickest production cars ever built. Xiaomi, meanwhile, entered the EV market just months ago, with the SU7 Ultra positioned as a “tech-forward luxury sedan.” Its dual-motor configuration generates 795 horsepower, but clearly, raw power wasn’t the sole factor.
Experts speculate that Xiaomi’s meticulous tuning of its torque vectoring and launch control systems—coupled with a lighter chassis—gave it the edge off the line. “The SU7 Ultra’s acceleration out of the gate was flawless,” said automotive engineer Lisa Chen in a post-race analysis. “Tesla’s software updates have prioritized top-end speed, but this race was won in the first two seconds.”
A David vs. Goliath Moment
The upset underscores Xiaomi’s ambitious push into the automotive sector. While skeptics initially dismissed the Chinese tech giant’s EV ambitions, the SU7 Ultra’s performance suggests Tesla may no longer be untouchable in the “ludicrous speed” arena. Social media erupted after the race, with one Tesla owner commenting, “I never thought I’d see the day a Xiaomi product out-drags my Plaid.”
Tesla has yet to officially respond to the results, but the race has already sparked debates. Is this a fluke, or a sign of China’s growing dominance in EV innovation? Xiaomi, for its part, leaned into the moment, tweeting, “Great race, @Tesla. Rematch anytime.”
What This Means for the EV Wars
The showdown highlights how quickly the competitive landscape is evolving. With legacy automakers and tech firms pouring resources into EVs, Tesla’s decade-long reign faces unprecedented challenges. For consumers, the takeaway is clear: speed and value are no longer mutually exclusive.
As for the Model S Plaid? It’s still a marvel of engineering—but as Xiaomi just proved, the road to EV supremacy is getting crowded.
Watch the full drag race above, and let us know: Should Tesla be worried?