Emir Bardakçı
In one highly-anticipated Paris 2024 Olympic moment, gregarious Xiaomi founder, Lai Jun, lit up France in the beginning of his European tour for research. Caught up in the Olympic fever, Jun met up with some local Mi Fans, which unsurprisingly led to some talk about Xiaomi’s ambitious plans—Xiaomi Motors and its jewel, Xiaomi SU7.
International aspirations of xiaomi
A particularly anticipated question comes from an overzealous fan, the answer to which the world has been waiting for: Will there be an opportunity to buy this unit, this Xiaomi SU7, in France before the end of the decade? Lei Jun responded, giving a statement of what Xiaomi’s global strategy has to be: “OK, our target is to be in the top five globally, so definitely, at the right time, we will go global.”
“Lei Jun’s response reflects not only a promise toward global expansion but also an insight into Xiaomi’s strategic planning,” he says. “It is not that Xiaomi Motors just passes the international waters; it is going to build a station with a significant global presence, and it has to be among the top five automotive manufacturers in the world.”.
Xiaomi SU7 Unveiled
The Xiaomi SU7 is officially out in March of the year, and it marks the entry of Xiaomi into the field of automotive business. Positioned as a “high-performance technology ecological C-class sedan,” the model is available with both dual motors and single motors, each in 2 battery capacities—73.6 kWh and 101 kWh. And, underpinning this basic price strategy, it will be a player in the global EV market through its broad range of 215,900 to 299,900 yuan.
Achievements and Future Goals
Recently, in a press conference, Lei Jun provided some exciting updates. Thanks to increased production capacity and faster Xiaomi SU7 delivery, the annual goal of 100,000 vehicle building is set to be achieved by Xiaomi, targeting as early as November. More than 30,000 cars have been delivered to date, which shows a pretty strong market reception and very good demand. It plans to significantly expand its retail presence by December, with the opening of 220 stores in 59 cities across the country. This expansion will not only be focused on selling cars but also on building an ecosystem for Xiaomi users.
Visioning
Through all the exciting things that happen as Lei Jun steers Xiaomi, the clear goal becomes established globally—the most appropriate footprint for Xiaomi Motors. Xiaomi, in seeking to be in the top 5 globally, does not just put forward a sales target; it means an innovation commitment, sustainability, and customer satisfaction. The question from the Mi fan in Paris is reflective of much broader curiosity and excitement around Xiaomi’s future.
With such a strong visionary leadership at the helm, Lei Jun, and such a rapid pace in the company’s strides, it increasingly seems more a question of “when” than one of “if” Xiaomi will become one of those hit brands in global automotive markets—and France. The eyes of the world are on the unfolding events of the Olympic games. Clearly, Xiaomi is playing that longer, more strategic game—one that just might redefine the EV market on a global scale while seeing Xiaomi as a global automotive powerhouse by 2030. So, watch this space, as the Xiaomi Motors journey is just beginning, and it promises to be an exhilarating ride.
