- Xiaomi EV appointed auto division vice president Yu Liguo as head of the overseas business preparation group to lay the groundwork for overseas expansion.
- Former Tesla Shanghai factory manager Song Gang takes over production and manufacturing operations.
Xiaomi's (HKG: 1810) electric vehicle (EV) unit has adjusted the responsibilities of key executives in preparation for entering overseas markets.
Xiaomi EV appointed auto division vice president Yu Liguo as head of the overseas business preparation group, reporting to Xiaomi Group CEO Lei Jun and president William Lu, according to a Friday report by local media Sina Tech.
The personnel change highlights Xiaomi's ambition to enter the global EV market. According to Xiaomi's previous strategic planning, the company expects to officially launch the globalization process of its EV business in the second half of 2027.
The European market has been selected as the first stop for Xiaomi EV's overseas expansion, and the company also plans to enter the right-hand drive vehicle market in the first half of 2028, the report noted.
Yu, who formerly served as president of BAIC's Arcfox division, joined Xiaomi in 2022 and previously oversaw key operations including automotive product definition and manufacturing.
His new role will focus on laying the groundwork for overseas expansion, while former Tesla Shanghai factory manager Song Gang takes over production and manufacturing responsibilities.
Song Gang will report directly to Lei while continuing to serve as chief of staff for the auto division.
Song joined Tesla in 2018 and previously served as the manager of Giga Shanghai, where he led the establishment of Tesla's Shanghai energy storage factory.
In 2024, Song joined renewable energy group Envision as senior vice president of integrated supply chain; in April this year, he became vice president and chief of staff of Xiaomi EV.
Xiaomi's management mentioned in August 2025 that the company had decided to officially enter the European EV market in 2027, with Europe serving as the first overseas stop for its EV business.
On July 5, 2025, Lu shared an image on Weibo showing an SU7 Ultra with a German license plate, stating that it was Xiaomi's first experimental vehicle registered in Europe.
As a latecomer to China's EV industry, Xiaomi has achieved success in a short period of time.
It has set its full-year vehicle delivery target for 2026 at 550,000 units, representing an increase of about 34% from roughly 410,000 units in 2025.
Xiaomi's vehicle deliveries in April surpassed 30,000 units, achieving significant growth compared to the 21,440 units delivered in March.
