January 26, 2026
TLDR: A leaked six-model roadmap circulated the same month Lei Jun spent four hours publicly addressing criticism and demonstrating YU7 engineering. Xiaomi’s 550,000-unit 2026 target follows their first quarterly profit and a deliberate shift toward direct public communication. The approach reflects how newer Chinese automakers are redefining customer engagement in a social media-driven market.
A PowerPoint leaked in January claiming six new Xiaomi vehicles in 2026. The company neither confirmed nor denied specifics, but the broader picture is coming into focus.
The slides suggested new-generation SU7 and YU7 Ultra variants in March, extended-range “Kunlun” models through fall, and an SU7L in October. Delivery targets allegedly climb from 410,000 units in 2025 to 550,000 in 2026.
According to National Business Daily, Vice President Li Xiaoshuang responded by emphasizing “爆品逻辑” (blockbuster logic): fewer models, each designed to sell at scale. He characterized Xiaomi’s approach as conservative, roughly one new product series annually during early scaling phases.
The January Livestream
What made the month notable wasn’t the leak. It was Chairman Lei Jun’s January 3 four-hour livestream where he and Xiaomi engineers publicly dismantled a YU7, explaining components while cameras rolled.
The format was unusual for an automaker CEO. Lei addressed specific criticisms directly, including concerns about marketing clarity and range claims. He acknowledged that promotional materials had sometimes buried important qualifications and committed to improvements.
Lei also announced 200 billion yuan in R&D investment over the next five years, split between core vehicle technology and generative AI. The commitment signals long-term intent regardless of short-term product timing.
The Financial Foundation
The 550,000-unit target rests on solid recent performance. Xiaomi delivered 410,000 vehicles in 2025, exceeding revised targets. Q3 2025 marked the company’s first quarterly operating profit in its auto division: 700 million RMB on 28.3 billion in revenue, up 197.9% year-over-year.
The profitability milestone matters. It demonstrates the business model works at scale, validating aggressive capacity expansion and R&D commitments.
Lei Jun also clarified boundaries around product speculation, explicitly denying “SU3” rumors: “That’s definitely fake. Our models are confidential, and there’s no SU3 in the plan for now.” The willingness to correct specific misinformation while allowing broader roadmap speculation reflects standard product communication practices.
What Market Watchers Should Note
For China EV market observers, several patterns emerge:
Direct CEO communication is becoming standard. Lei Jun’s willingness to address criticism publicly, rather than through PR statements, reflects how Chinese tech companies engage audiences accustomed to livestream culture and social media transparency.
Leaked roadmaps should be treated as directional, not definitive. The six-model PPT may prove accurate, partially accurate, or outdated by the time products launch. What matters is the ambition level it signals.
Profitability changes the conversation. A company posting quarterly profits can sustain aggressive expansion. Xiaomi’s Q3 results shift them from “interesting experiment” to “credible competitor” in industry analysis.
Product denial patterns reveal priorities. When companies explicitly kill certain rumors while allowing others to circulate, the selective response indicates where genuine boundaries exist.
The practical takeaway for Chinese automotive coverage: Xiaomi has established a communication style that generates substantial discussion without traditional marketing spend. Whether that approach scales as production volumes grow remains the open question.
