The creator of Ford CEO Jim Farley's favorite Chinese EV is officially arriving in Europe after extraordinary sales
Published on Aug 20, 2025 at 8:26 AM (UTC+4)
by Claire Reid
Last updated on Aug 20, 2025 at 8:53 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Kate Bain
Xiaomi, the maker of Ford CEO Jim Farley’s favorite Chinese EV, is officially heading to the European market.
Xiaomi was founded in 2010 and is the second-largest manufacturer of smartphones in the world.
It launched Xiaomi Auto in 2021, and it’s safe to say it was a very smart move for the company.
Today, it makes several EVs, including the SU7, which Ford boss Farley has heaped praise on.
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Xiaomi is heading to overseas markets for the first time
To say 2025 has been a solid year for Xiaomi would be an understatement.
The marque’s YU7 SUV is so popular that it can’t keep up with demand, prompting CEO Lei Jun to make the unprecedented move of recommending rival cars for customers wanting to get a vehicle in a hurry.
Following a superb year for Xiaomi, the company has now announced it will be coming to the European market.
Speaking on an earnings call this week, Xiaomi president Lu Weibing said the marque will start selling its cars in Europe in 2027.
“The business model we have developed in China can also apply in overseas market when we get into Europe,” Lu told analysts on a call.
“We’re doing the research and preparation. So far we have not got the specific product plan yet.”
It will be the first time Xiaomi has sold its cars overseas.
As yet, Xiaomi hasn’t revealed which of its cars or how many will be introduced in Europe.
But it currently has a couple of models on offer: Ford boss Farley’s favorite Chinese EV, the SU7, which launched in 2024, and the YU7, which was released this year.
It is also working on the YU9, a full-sized SUV, which is expected to launch in 2026.
Of course, Xiaomi vehicles aren’t yet available on the US market, although most carmakers agree that Chinese-built vehicles will hit the American automotive market at some point in the future.
How did the SU7 become Ford CEO Jim Farley’s favorite Chinese EV?
Despite not being on sale in the US, Ford boss Jim Farley managed to have a SU7 imported into the States where he drove it for six months.
Farley was left seriously impressed by the budget EV, which has been dubbed the ‘Temu Tesla’ thanks to its super-low $30,000 price tag.
“I don’t like talking about the competition so much, but I drive the Xiaomi,” he said on the Everything Electric Show podcast in October.
“We flew one from Shanghai to Chicago, and I’ve been driving it for six months now, and I don’t want to give it up.”
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Claire Reid is a journalist who hails from the UK but is now living in New Zealand. She began her career after graduating with a degree in Journalism from Liverpool John Moore’s University and has more than a decade of experience, writing for both local newspapers and national news sites. Claire covers a wide variety of topics, with a special focus on cars, technology, planes, cryptocurrency, and luxury.
