The joys of modern-day technology has its quirks
Today’s software-defined vehicles, such as those from EV brands like Tesla and Rivian and new models from mainstream brands like Audi, BMW, and Ford, benefit from a feature called over-the-air updates. This capability allows these cars to update remotely, much like an iPhone, which saves the owners of these vehicles a visit to a dealership for something as simple as a software update.
But while these sorts of alterations are meant to fix issues and add more features to one’s car, sometimes these updates do the opposite; which owners of the Xiaomi SU7 Ultra in China had to face very recently.
Locking away the horsepower
Xiaomi’s SU7 has been a runaway hit for the company known for its consumer electronics. Its first foray into electric cars has been compared to Western contemporaries like the Porsche Taycan and Tesla Model S, and it has also gained fans that include Ford CEO Jim Farley.
Following an October 2024 announcement, Xiaomi released the SU7 Ultra in February as a sub-$73,000, tri-motor, 1,526 horsepower high-performance electric vehicle capable of a 0-60 mph in less than two seconds and on-track performance comparable to Porsche’s ~$210,000 Taycan Turbo GT.
However, some owners who wanted in on the fun were disappointed following a software update, which has since been patched. According to a report by Car News China, owners whose cars were updated to version 1.7.0 of its proprietary in-car software were disappointed to learn that some of its performance capabilities had been restricted.
This Xiaomi SU7 Ultra software update reduced the maximum amount of power from the car’s tri-motor electric powertrain to about 888 hp, unless the driver could prove to Xiaomi that they could handle all 1,526 horsepower. In order to “unlock the stable,” drivers would have had to beat a specific lap time on a racetrack approved by Xiaomi, which would be recorded and verified using the car’s onboard telemetry.
In addition, the update also gave SU7 Ultra owners a 60-second cooldown when they activated the car’s launch control function—the feature that allows them to achieve the sub-two second zero-to-sixty mile per hour time.
When the update was rolled out, Xiaomi defended its actions to “muzzle” the SU7 Ultra’s power levels from its owners, saying that the restrictions were made with the driver’s safety in mind. However, this caused a rift on online forums and Chinese social media between owners who felt duped and others who appreciated the manufacturer’s safety concern.
“The full 1548 horsepower output is designed for circuit use with appropriate tyres and preparation,” Xiaomi told Car News China. “We want to ensure owners can enjoy this performance safely.”
Final thoughts
Due to the response from owners, Xiaomi patched the restrictions in a subsequent update, noting that it appreciated the “passionate feedback” from their community and that the company “will ensure better transparency moving forward.”
Upon hearing about this story, I instantly thought about the above clip of YouTube streamer iShowSpeed, who sat shotgun and reacted to the Xiaomi SU7 Ultra’s acceleration on city streets during a recent visit to China about a month ago. Seeing all that power in practice looks different when you actually see it.
Though restricting power until owners can prove their worth at a racetrack has not been something that was popular, perhaps Xiaomi could take a leaf out of BMW’s book. On its website, BMW states that every new BMW purchased in 2025 comes with something called the “BMW New Owner’s Track Drive,” which provides professional instruction for high performance driving on a closed course; which doesn’t sound like a bad idea at all for Xiaomi to offer on their “approved courses.”
