Chinese smartphone giant turns to EVs and sets sights on international markets

Xiaomi, one of the world’s leading smartphone companies, is now also one of the newest EV makers and is potentially heading towards international markets after delivering over 100,000 EVs in a matter of months. 

According to new reports from a media outlet, 36kr, which was shared by one post, Xiaomi has put international market expansion on its roadmap given the intense competition in China’s domestic EV market.

The company has created an overseas automotive sales business and is planning to initiate sales operations in various global markets, without going into details of where these might be.

As part of this international expansion, the company is hiring project managers, market researchers and EV after-sales engineers to kick things off.

On the ground in overseas markets, the new report also mentions roles being hired in areas such as autonomous driving compliance.

After these teams are hired, the company plans to test initial markets before a broader large-scale rollout, according to the 36kr report.

Xiaomi started deliveries of its electric sedan, the SU7, back in April this year which was shortly after it unveiled the four-door sports sedan to the world. 

Within months, by June, the company was hitting production of over 10,000 units and, by July, had delivered over 25,000 SU7s to customers.

By November, the company had delivered over 100,000 units, which was its original target for the year. Now, the company is aiming for 130,000 EVs, an increase of 30%.

The SU7 has taken the Chinese EV market by storm, and in recent months, the company has been showcasing the new EV in other markets as pop-up stores.

One of these markets more recently has been Malaysia, where it was showcased at a Xiaomi pop-up shopping centre store.

Last week, Xiaomi also announced its second model, the YU7 electric SUV, which is expected to go on sale by June or July in 2025.

This was announced by the company’s CEO and founder, Lei Jun, on X and provides a glimpse into the smartphone makers’ global automotive ambitions.

Xiaomi, by far, is one of the most innovative technology companies globally, and with its electronics store footprint already in dozens of countries, the company stands a much better chance than most other Chinese automotive companies as they expand globally.

Given Xiaomi’s current success in the local market, there is certainly an appetite for its EV products internationally, especially now that an SUV like the YU7 is expected to be its next product.

We look forward to seeing it in international markets, and hopefully, a right-hand-drive version for Australia and New Zealand is also on the cards.