Xiaomi’s Pan Jiutang: If We Pursue Extended-Range EVs, We’ll Learn from Li Auto—but Won’t Copy Without Acknowledging

On January 13, Pan Jiutang, Partner at Xiaomi’s Industrial Investment Division, stated that many Chinese automakers previously benchmarked Tesla in developing pure electric vehicles, but with limited success. He noted that Xiaomi’s SU7 and YU7 have received high recognition from both domestic and international professionals and consumers, and have even been disassembled and studied by several leading automakers. This has prompted some competitors to urgently adjust their product roadmaps—and even model naming strategies—for 2025, which Pan described as a normal commercial response. Regarding whether Xiaomi might enter the extended-range EV segment in the future, Pan clearly stated that if Xiaomi were to pursue extended-range technology, it would draw lessons from Li Auto’s experience—but would never simultaneously learn from a competitor while denying or disparaging them. He further emphasized that benchmarking and imitation are common business strategies, noting that global giants like Apple and Google also frequently drive innovation by acquiring and learning from others.