- Currently, Xiaomi sells its EVs solely in China, but it plans to expand globally.
- Key hires include Rudolf Dittrich, who has worked at BMW and two F1 teams.
- The brand says it’s “in the process of planning” its European R&D facility.
Xiaomi is determined to become a major global player in the EV industry and to make this happen, it’s recruiting experienced talent from other brands, including at least five senior executives from BMW. They will work at the brand’s research and development center in Europe, although an exact location for this site has yet to be announced.
A search through LinkedIn reveals that Xiaomi hired Rudolf Dittrich from BMW last year to serve as the head of its European R&D center. Dittrich has worked at the German premium automaker for 15 years and also has experience at the Williams and Sauber Formula 1 teams. Additionally, Dusan Sarac has joined Xiaomi’s European operations after several years at BMW and Rolls-Royce.
Read: Xiaomi Aims To Sell More EVs In China Than All German Brands Combined
Reuters understands that Jannis Hellwig has also jumped ship to the Chinese EV brand and will serve as a senior engineer on performance development and integration. The technology giant is also looking for a senior automotive designer, senior automotive exterior designer, and vehicle dynamics engineers in Munich, Germany.
There’s no word on where the technology giant’s European R&D facility will be located, with the brand simply saying the site is “in the process of planning.”
It’s not just talent that Xiaomi is snatching from the Germans. It wants to sell 350,000 EVs in China this year, and if it can hit that target, it will surpass the combined 2024 EV sales of Volkswagen, Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Porsche. That would be quite a feat for the company, particularly since it only started building the electric SU7 sedan this time last year.
Now, with the hypercar-rivaling SU7 Ultra on the market, Xiaomi appears to be going from strength to strength. Moreover, 2025 is expected to be a pivotal year for the firm as it’ll start production and deliveries of the YU7. The new electric SUV undercuts the Tesla Model Y and, given the global demand for high-riding vehicles, should sell in far greater numbers than the SU7 sedan.
