In a striking admission, Ford CEO Jim Farley has revealed that he’s been driving a Chinese-made Xiaomi SU7 electric vehicle for months, and he’s not eager to part ways with it. In a candid interview with the Everything Electric Show, Farley described his experiences with the Chinese auto market as “epiphanies,” underscoring the massive gap between Western and Chinese automakers when it comes to electric vehicle (EV) development.
Xiaomi, primarily known for its smartphones and e-scooters, introduced its first passenger vehicle, the SU7, in late 2023. The EV instantly became a sensation, selling out its entire 2024 production run in just 24 hours, and now boasts a six-month waiting list. Farley’s praise for the SU7 suggests it’s more than just hype. “I drive a Xiaomi. We flew one from Shanghai to Chicago, and I’ve been driving it for six months now. I don’t want to give it up,” Farley admitted.
This revelation comes as Western automakers are facing increasing criticism for lagging behind in EV advancements. According to Farley, the key difference is that Chinese tech giants like Xiaomi and Huawei are deeply integrated into the auto industry, blending cutting-edge smartphone technology with vehicle production in ways Western companies have yet to achieve. “In China, both Huawei and Xiaomi, the two biggest cell phone companies, are inside of every vehicle that is made,” Farley explained.
Farley’s remarks offer a sobering glimpse into the future of the global auto industry. While the U.S. and European automakers have made strides in electric mobility, they are far behind China in areas like battery technology, software integration, pricing, and charging infrastructure. InsideEVs reported earlier this year that Chinese automakers are years ahead of their Western counterparts in these crucial areas.
Unfortunately for American consumers, massive tariffs on Chinese auto imports prevent them from experiencing these advancements firsthand. The fear within the U.S. auto industry is that without these tariffs, Chinese manufacturers would quickly dominate the market with superior products at lower prices, potentially devastating Western carmakers. Farley, who previously described Chinese automakers as an “existential threat,” seems to have reinforced that belief with his admiration for the Xiaomi SU7.
Farley’s public praise of a Chinese EV signals that Western carmakers, especially in the U.S., need to accelerate their EV development or risk falling further behind. His experience with the Xiaomi is a wake-up call: the competition is not just coming—it’s already here, and it’s miles ahead.
