Xiaomi Auto has locked in a launch in Europe in 2027 as part of huge global expansion plans that could see the smartphone-maker turned EV pioneer debut Down Under before the end of this decade.
For now, Xiaomi’s arrival hinges on right-hand drive production with an announcement expected to be made concerning the UK market as part of its push to Europe.
Already established as a major player in China, Xiaomi only started building electric cars in 2023 and since then has become one of the world’s fastest-growing car-makers.
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It launched with the Porsche Taycan rivalling Xiaomi SU7 (pictured top) that blends advanced tech with low prices starting at just 253,500 Chinese yuan ($A55,000).
It has followed up with the YU7 SUV, which has been greeted equally rapturously by the Chinese public.
Even with just two models in its range, in its home market, Xiaomi delivered more than 80,000 cars in the last quarter alone and that figure is only limited by severe production constraints.
Dominating the headlines both at home and abroad, Xiaomi has recently launched a hypercar humbling version of its SU7 sedan.
It features a triple motor producing an incredible 1139kW of power for a barely believable 0-100km/h dash of just 1.98 seconds.
Perhaps even more remarkable is how Xiaomi’s YU7 has instantly become the country’s must-have mid-size SUV. More than 240,000 deposits were placed in less than 18 hours after the order book opened.
With such demand and enthusiasm for both its models, the EV start-up has struggled to build cars quick enough. That’s despite a wealth of production experience that comes from being the world’s second biggest smartphone maker.
Currently, the waiting list for the sedan that was unwrapped in 2023 extends to 41 weeks, with buyers expected to wait more than a year for the new SUV.
Positioned as a premium brand to rival Audi and BMW rather than Tesla, there’s no word yet on how Xiaomi will price position its range in Europe.
But in China, despite its class leading tech, both the SU7 and YU7 cost a fraction of what’s charged for the less advanced equivalent Euro rivals.
Back in Australia, it’s hard not to imagine the YU7 being a hit here.
The rear-drive YU7 version is claimed to be able to travel more than 835km between top-ups (on the lenient CLTC test cycle). Plug it in to an ultra-fast charger (not readily available in Australia) and the car-maker claims owners can squeeze in as much as 620km of range added in less than 15 minutes.
Those figures are expected to be soon trumped by the arrival of the inbound flagship YU9, which is likely to be a large Range Rover-rivalling SUV. It is expected to set new highs for range, charging speeds and performance.
Despite the love for the brand among Chinese consumers Xiaomi has also found itself grabbing headlines for all the wrong reasons.
Complaints over its models mimicking European styling has been a constant criticism from day one. Owners also grouped together to remonstrate when paid-for performance-boosting dual air ducts added to their SU7 were found to be decorative.
Iffy quality has also hovered around the SU7, with early adopters encountering issues with warped front bumpers and furious criticism over an alleged software update that instantly limited the power output.
Worse was to come following a fatal crash at the end of March involving an SU7 that hit a barrier and caught fire, raising concerns over its autonomous driving aids, door lock mechanisms and battery safety.
This triggered Chinese regulators to rush in new rulings relating to battery safety and autonomous driving.
Confirming the European expansion in a call to investors earlier last week, company president William Lu did not detailed exact timings of the rollout.
Instead, he said Xiaomi is currently in a ‘research and preparation phase’ of its European rollout. The German and Norwegian markets are expected to be some of the first countries to get cars, possibly as soon as next year.
“The business model we have developed in China can also apply in overseas market when we get into Europe,” Lu told analysts. “We’re doing the research and preparation. So far we have not got the specific product plan yet.”
