Xiaomi plans its own stores in Germany – and electric cars

Chinese technology company Xiaomi Technology wants to substantially expand its German business. In an interview, Germany CEO Alan Chen Li revealed that the company will open its own stores for the first time. But that is not all: in the future, Xiaomi also plans to sell its in-house electric cars outside China – meaning, eventually, in Germany too.

📱 From smartphones to an ecosystem

I have been following Xiaomi since my time as a correspondent in Beijing. The company started out with cleverly built smartphones at very low prices. But CEO Lei Jun has expanded the business step by step. Today Xiaomi offers a complete ecosystem: from air filters and robot vacuums to backpacks.

🚗 Strategy shift: focus on electric cars

About three years ago Lei Jun pulled off a radical strategy shift. He stepped back from day-to-day management to develop an electric car. The first vehicles were sold in China last year, and production is running at full speed. A few days ago, pre-orders for Xiaomi’s first sports car also opened.

📍 Building automotive expertise in Germany

For this story I also looked at which positions Xiaomi is currently advertising in Germany. Striking: alongside the German headquarters in Düsseldorf, which also runs the European business, Xiaomi is hiring increasingly in Munich – with a clear focus on car development. The company is clearly trying to recruit specialists from the German auto sector.

🤔 Your view, please

Does Xiaomi have the potential to succeed in Germany with electric cars too? What opportunities and risks do you see for the market entry?

I wrote the full piece for Handelsblatt.