Xiaomi Wants to Be a Top 5 Global Automaker. Can It Get There?

Xiaomi might not be a household name in the U.S., but globally the company has spent the past decade and a half building a broad portfolio of smartphones, tablets, and connected home devices. Founded in China in 2010, Xiaomi began as a mobile software developer before quickly pivoting to hardware. Today, it ranks as the world’s third-largest smartphone maker, behind Apple and Samsung. In recent years, it has expanded into smart home appliances and tablets, and most recently entered the electric vehicle market.

Its first car, the SU7, is a sedan roughly the size of a BMW 5 Series, and it quickly became a strong seller in China after launching in 2024. The higher-performance SU7 Ultra also made headlines by setting a record for electric sedans around the Nürburgring. Last year, the company followed up with its first SUV, the YU7, and it is now working on a more powerful GT variant of that model.

While its cars are currently only available in China, Xiaomi has announced plans to enter Europe in 2027. The company has opened an R&D center in Munich, Germany, to handle localization for European markets and collaborate with engineers and designers in Beijing as Xiaomi expands globally.

While some Chinese EV startups may not survive in the long term, Xiaomi is signaling a more serious, sustained commitment to its automotive push. During a gathering with reporters at the Beijing auto show, Hu Zhengnan, CTO and group vice president of Xiaomi’s electric vehicle division, said the company aims to become one of the world’s top five automakers within the next 20 years. Reaching that goal will require hiring experienced talent and continuing to expand its product lineup.

At the company’s main press conference at the 2026 Beijing Auto Show, founder, chairman, and CEO Lei Jun highlighted several key hires for Xiaomi’s growing EV business. Rudolf Dittrich, formerly a senior engineer at BMW, will lead the company’s R&D center in Germany. Claus-Dieter Groll, now head of vehicle dynamics, previously led development of the BMW iX3. Julien Cueff, who oversees interior design, is formerly of Mercedes-Benz, while the work of Fabian Schmölz-Obermeier, now in charge of exterior design, includes models such as the Lamborghini Temerario and Porsche 992 GT3 RS.

Dittrich said at the press conference that reaching the top five automakers globally will require a broader product portfolio. While he declined to share specific details, he indicated the company understands what it needs to do to get there, including developing vehicles that can succeed in markets beyond China.

Despite only recently opening its Munich R&D center, sources say the facility already employs more than 100 people, with additional hires expected as the team continues to grow.

One of Xiaomi’s biggest differentiators is its broader ecosystem. The company describes its approach as “human, car, home,” where devices are interconnected and can be controlled seamlessly from one another. For example, a user heading home can ask the infotainment system to turn on the air conditioning so the house is cool upon arrival, or warm up the car from their smartphone before stepping outside. The same connectivity extends to tasks such as running the dishwasher, controlling other home appliances, or even opening windows. For now, these features work primarily within Xiaomi’s own ecosystem, but the company has said it is open to partnering with other brands so users are not limited to its devices.

Time will tell whether those bets pay off, but what the company has already achieved without the support of its European R&D center is notable. The SU7 is a fairly impressive machine, and while we have not yet driven the YU7, a closer look at the interior left a positive impression, particularly in terms of build quality and technology at its price point.

Xiaomi is already putting established German automakers on notice, and its push into the market is only just beginning.