Xiaomi posts Sydney job ads for 2028 Australian car launch

Sydney job ads lay groundwork for Australia

Xiaomi has posted two Sydney-based job ads on LinkedIn in recent weeks, seeking a senior legal counsel and a product manager for international instalment finance. WhichCar reported that the listings show the Chinese phone maker is laying the foundations for a local showroom presence.

According to the listings, the legal role covers Xiaomi's Australian automotive business, including sales and after-sales support, national and international contracts and advice on Australian law. The finance post involves working with banks and leasing companies locally and setting the framework for overseas auto finance products. The listing asks the hire to establish policies governing the "customised development, launch and iteration" of those products.

Xiaomi has not announced local prices or which vehicles it will sell in Australia. ARY News reported that the company expects to launch in Australia in 2028, before entering the UK, Japan and New Zealand.

Europe first, right-hand drive in 2028

Xiaomi's export plan runs Europe first. Sales there start in the second half of 2027 after new dealer agreements in Germany, according to ARY News. Production of right-hand-drive models follows in 2028. Xiaomi does not currently build any right-hand-drive vehicles, WhichCar reported.

The United States is not on the list. ARY News reported that Xiaomi has cited a 100 percent import tariff on Chinese-made EVs and software requirements as reasons to stay out. Notebookcheck also cited missing US safety certifications and software ecosystem constraints. Sightings of a YU7 on American roads were cars brought in by other automakers for testing and comparison, ARY News reported.

Product range and capacity

WhichCar reported that Xiaomi sells three relatively high-end models in China: the SU7 sedan, the Skynomad large SUV and the YU7 SUV. ARY News named two of those models, the YU7 crossover and the SU7 sedan, in the current lineup. Xiaomi moved into carmaking in 2021 and launched its first production vehicle, the SU7, in March 2024.

ARY News and Notebookcheck put the standard SU7 at 299 hp and the all-wheel-drive Max at 673 hp. MotorTrend's first drive listed 315 hp for the base and Pro and 681 hp for the Max.

Notebookcheck reported that Xiaomi's Beijing factory can build up to 300,000 vehicles a year, and said it remains to be confirmed whether that capacity will directly support export allocations. MotorTrend reported that Xiaomi has set a goal of becoming one of the world's top five automakers within two decades, and has opened an R&D centre in Germany and recruited engineers and designers from European manufacturers.