Xiaomi starts with showrooms in plan to take EU EV markets, from 2027

Xiaomi will begin selling electric vehicles in Europe by 2027, with plans already underway to lock down showroom spaces across the continent.

The decision was confirmed by Xu Fei, vice president at the Beijing-based company, during a televised CNBC interview that aired Thursday. She revealed that executives had completed field research in June, visiting various European cities to study potential sales locations and build a local distribution strategy.

“We had our field research here in June,” Xu said. “A couple executives [are] leading the field research so that we are preparing for the sales network, for the partnerships. The whole organization is getting started.”

The expansion will place Xiaomi in direct competition with other Chinese EV firms like Xpeng and Guangzhou Automobile Group, both of which are already rolling out their cars in the region.

The company confirmed it will not be designing an entirely new vehicle for Europe, meaning the cars sold there will likely be modified versions of existing models. Xu didn’t name which car will be sold first, but Xiaomi’s SU7 sedan and YU7 SUV are the company’s two flagship vehicles.

They both launched last year, marking Xiaomi’s first foray into the auto space. Since then, more than 300,000 units have been delivered, pushing Xiaomi’s shares up by over 170% in 12 months.

Xiaomi moves carefully as rivals rush into the European market

Even as competitors scramble to grow fast, Xiaomi is moving differently. Xu made it clear the company is taking its time. “We need full time to do all these kinds of preparations to make sure the car is solid enough for those people here in the Europe market … because … we need to set a very high standard,” she said.

The European rollout comes as the EU keeps tariffs in place on China-made EV imports, pushing many companies to rethink how they expand. While some automakers are choosing to build production sites in Europe now, Xiaomi isn’t jumping in yet. Xu was blunt about that.

“Theoretically, in [the] future, I think we definitely will do that,” she said, when asked if the company planned to open a European production plant. “The logic is very simple. We want to be one of the top five players in the world in 15 to 20 years. If you want to do that, you definitely have to have your own factory here, right?”

The goal is global dominance, but with a slower launch pace. Still, Xiaomi’s name is now on the list of China’s biggest EV exporters trying to break into Europe. That list includes Guangzhou Automobile Group, which is planning to increase its EV sales across Europe 17 times over the next two years, and is also exploring local manufacturing options.

Xu said Xiaomi’s showrooms in Europe will resemble those in China, and they won’t just be for test drives. “Users need to experience the car, not just for test drive … they also need to understand the ecosystem,” she said. That “ecosystem” includes everything Xiaomi already sells, from smartphones to home appliances, all tied into the car’s software.

Company bets on ecosystem integration to drive user loyalty

The idea is to have European customers walk into a Xiaomi showroom, try out the car, and also experience how it connects with everything else in their lives; their phones, their homes, and even their TVs. It’s a strategy they’ve used in China, and they’re betting it will land in Europe too.

Xu didn’t promise a rollout model or pricing, but she made one thing clear: Xiaomi isn’t coming in half-prepared. “When we get into the market, we are very dedicated. And it’s not just some random Chinese product we have coming here in the Europe market. It’s a product, with the best user experience for the European users.”

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