Xiaomi YU7 Max's brake pads caught fire, but the manufacturer didn't see it as a problem

The new Xiaomi YU7 Max electric crossover had a curious incident during media tests on the V1 track in Tianjin. After a few laps around the race track in intensive mode, the car's braking system elements got so hot that the brake pads literally caught fire. Later the manufacturer explained why this happened.

Here's What We Know

The YU7 Max is the most powerful version of Xiaomi's new electric SUV. Two motors provide all-wheel drive and develop up to 690 hp (508 kW) of power. Torque is up to 866 N-m.
From 0 to 100 km/h, the electric car accelerates in 3.2 s, and straight-line speed can reach 253 km/h.

After a few high-speed laps around the circuit, one of the YU7 Max returned to the pit lane with brake discs heated up to 619 °C and brake pads on fire. Xiaomi commented on the incident, stating that the fire was caused by organic materials in the brake pads with low metal content. These can briefly ignite at temperatures above 600 °C. The company emphasised that despite the flames, the brake system remained fully functional and safe.

Xiaomi also claims that the driver of the nearly 2.3 tonne vehicle in question did not properly use the regenerative brakes. Specifically for racetracks, the YU7 Max has a "Master Mode" driving mode with an "Enhanced Energy Recovery" function. With this system, regeneration can provide up to 0.2G of braking force, greatly reducing the load on the friction brakes. Without this function, the risk of thermal overload is greatly increased in heavy traffic and frequent braking.

Interestingly, this situation doesn't seem to be related to the serious brake failures seen on other Xiaomi cars. Late last year, two different Xiaomi SU7 sedans were involved in accidents when their brakes failed after heavy use. Those incidents apparently involved brake components that were not designed for track use at all. In contrast, the pads and discs on the YU7 in the new video did their job.

Source: Carnewschina