Lei Jun, founder, Chairman, and CEO of Xiaomi, announced on social media that the company’s automotive factory is now accepting reservations for public tours. The tours will gradually roll out throughout 2025, marking a significant milestone for the tech giant’s entry into the electric vehicle market.
Interested visitors can book tours through the Xiaomi Auto App by navigating to the Community-Official section and clicking the top banner. Selected participants will be notified via phone after their application is reviewed.
Each tour session is limited to 20 groups and will be conducted on Saturdays from 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM during production hours. Booking slots are released one month in advance, with January tours available for the 11th, 18th, and 25th of the month.
The Xiaomi automotive factory, which received the “2024 Beijing Industrial Tourism Demonstration Site” designation, is located in the Beijing Economic and Technological Development Area. The facility spans 718,000 square meters (approximately 7.7 million square feet).
Xiaomi, primarily known as a consumer electronics and smartphone manufacturer, announced its entry into the electric vehicle market in 2021 with a planned investment of $10 billion over ten years. The factory tours come as the company continues to promote its first electric vehicle, the SU7 sedan, which has generated significant interest in the Chinese automotive market.
Xiaomi’s Positioning:
Xiaomi enters a highly competitive market dominated by several key players, including BYD, NIO, XPeng, and Li Auto. The company’s first vehicle, the SU7 sedan, competes in the premium segment, targeting Tesla Model 3 and NIO ET5 customers.
Market analysts suggest Xiaomi’s late entry might actually be advantageous, allowing them to learn from competitors’ mistakes while leveraging their tech expertise and brand loyalty. The company’s experience in consumer electronics and software development could give it an edge in the increasingly tech-focused automotive market.
The public factory tours represent a strategic move to build confidence in Xiaomi’s manufacturing capabilities and generate excitement for their vehicles. The initiative follows similar approaches by Tesla and NIO, who have successfully used factory tours to build brand transparency and consumer trust.
Xiaomi SU7
Xiaomi EV launched the SU7 on March 28, 2024, offering three versions — Standard, Pro, and Max — with starting prices of 215,900 yuan ($29,580), 245,900 yuan, and 299,900 yuan, respectively. Deliveries of the Standard and Max versions of the SU7 begin in April, and deliveries of the SU7 Pro begin in May.
On December 31, 2024, Lei Jun broadcast New Year’s Eve live at the Xiaomi Automobile Factory. In the live broadcast, Lei Jun revealed that Xiaomi Motors has delivered 135,000 vehicles this year. Lei Jun also revealed that 60% of the first sales period of Xiaomi SU7 were “angel orders” (that is, the car has not been seen or test-driven), and so far, 30% of the locked-order users have not test-driven it.
Source: Yiche
