Ford CEO Jim Farley has explained why he drove a Chinese EV – the Xiaomi SU7 – for six months and admitted to being very impressed by the experience.
Farley ordered a Xiaomi SU7 direct from China, as the EV SUV can’t be bought in America.
The Xiaomi SU7 was unveiled in December 2023 and went into production the following year.
Last year, Xiaomi sold 139,487 of its SU7, and one of them ended up with Ford boss Farley for six months – and left a lasting impression.
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Ford CEO Jim Farley drove a Chinese EV for six months for a good reason
China has cemented itself as the global leader in EV technology, thanks to the likes of BYD and Xiaomi.
Interestingly, a recent study found that most US carmakers think Chinese-built vehicles will end up on the American market at some point in the future, and a similar number admitted to feeling ‘concerned’ about the financial implications
Ford CEO Jim Farley has said that American tech moguls need to start pulling together or face being eclipsed entirely by Chinese EVs.
And he knows what he’s talking about having previously driven a Chinese EV – the Xiaomi SU7 – for six months and being left seriously impressed.
“I don’t like talking about the competition so much, but I drive the Xiaomi,” he said on the Everything Electric Show podcast back in October.
“We flew one from Shanghai to Chicago, and I’ve been driving it for six months now, and I don’t want to give it up.”
While it may seem unusual for Farley to hop behind the wheel of a car that could be competition for Ford in the future, that’s precisely why he did it.
In a post on X a couple of days after the podcast was released, the Ford CEO explained why it was important for him to check out other vehicles.
“I try to drive everything we compete against,” he wrote.
“Have done it my whole career. Specs can tell part of a story, but you’ve got to get behind the wheel to truly understand and beat the competition.”
Farley said he was ‘humbled’ after seeing Chinese EVs
With the Xiaomi SU7 leaving such an impression on Jim Farley, it’s perhaps no surprise that he has fears Chinese EVs could dominate the market one day and spell out serious trouble for US carmakers.
“It’s the most humbling thing I have ever seen. Seventy percent of all EVs in the world, electric vehicles, are made in China,” Farley said during a recent panel at the Aspen Ideas Festival.
“They have far superior in-vehicle technology. Huawei and Xiaomi are in every car.
“You get in, you don’t have to pair your phone. Automatically, your whole digital life is mirrored in the car.
“Beyond that, their cost, the quality of their vehicles is far superior to what I see in the West.”
He went on to say tech giants like Google and Apple might need to step up to help US cars compete.
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