Xiaomi aims to become top five car maker in the next 20 years

In an interview, Xiaomi's CEO, Lei Jun, said that the company's ambitions for the future include a position in the top five car manufacturers. It may sound a bit too optimistic but given the rapid expansion of EVs for the last couple of years, it's not entirely impossible for some legacy automakers to lose out, leaving enough room for new players. Xiaomi believes it has all that's needed to get there.

Lei Jun admits that Xiaomi Auto is about 6-7 years behind the competition in China, but its first release is set for 2024 and it should be soon enough. The company has a big expertise in software and overall user experience, so it's relying on that to catch up quickly. In fact, Lei Jun says that the software part of the development is arguably more important these days.

Last year, Xiaomi Auto attracted $439 million of investment, more than 2,300 R&D personnel and the company's first car has already entered winter testing, so it seems that things are moving fast. Faster than expected, even.

Xiaomi's vision is to offer seamless integration across all devices in our life - smartphones, smart homes and cars. The company wants to bring you the full package.

Building on Xiaomi's success in consumer electronics, Lei Jun believes that marketing the new car won't be hard with so many stores worldwide and retail connections.

Via