Xiaomi Opens Beijing Plant to Foreign Press as Global Auto Unit Takes Shape

Xiaomi threw open the doors of its Beijing vehicle factory to international journalists on Friday, pairing a showcase of near-total automation with the quiet construction of a global sales machine. The same day, according to media reports, Xiaomi Auto established an international business unit and named Vice President Yu Liguo as its general manager. The division will handle overseas sales, market development, deliveries and customer service.

The timing is no accident. Several visiting reporters asked about vehicle sales in their home markets, a signal of latent demand that could matter for Xiaomi's growth ambitions — provided the company can convert interest into actual order flow.

Robots on the Line, and a Connected Home in the Cabin

Inside the plant, automation is close to absolute in key processes, with a degree of 100% and more than 700 robots working the production lines. Artificial intelligence underpins quality control. The site bundles research, manufacturing, distribution and customer experience under one roof.

Xiaomi also used the tour to demonstrate how its cars talk to its homes: compatible appliances can be controlled from the vehicle by voice command or through preset routines. It was a two-for-one pitch — the factory on one side, the ecosystem on the other.

Humanoids Clock In

The company had already offered a closer look at its automation strategy on November 3. By its own account, a humanoid robot spent roughly eight hours sorting side covers for center consoles at a car plant — enough to cover the day's requirement for that step. The reported total duration was eight hours and five minutes, including two charging breaks. The robot can spot and correct its own errors.

Xiaomi left the economically decisive numbers open, however: unit volumes, success rates and the level of human intervention required. On a separate parts-assembly test, the company did report hard progress — a success rate that climbed from 90.2% in March to 98% in July 2026.

Media reports on Wednesday described additional trials in a Xiaomi residential complex, where robots handled more than 30 minutes of autonomous work and over 50 household tasks. The company intends to deploy humanoid robots extensively across its own plants within five years.

Deliveries, Dilution and a Phone Launch

The operational backdrop is strong. Reuters reported that Xiaomi delivered more than 50,000 electric vehicles in October, its highest monthly figure of the year, taking January-to-October shipments to roughly 336,000 units.

On the corporate side, Xiaomi said Thursday it issued about 1.6 million Class B shares following the exercise of employee options, drawing USD 402,529. The disclosure came in its monthly report on securities movements for October. Separately, the company announced on its official X account on November 2 that the Xiaomi 18 Pro series will launch worldwide in November.

The November 24 Reckoning

All of this sets up the next financial test: quarterly results expected on November 24, when investors can weigh the operating story against actual business figures. Analysts on average forecast earnings per share of 0.175 CNY and revenue of 106.15 billion CNY for the third quarter of 2026.

The question facing shareholders is straightforward — how quickly manufacturing advances translate into the bottom line. Automation argues for industrial potential, but only if it delivers dependable production flows and convincing results.