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Xiaomi rules out Türkiye for EV production, prioritizes Europe

Photo shows rows of Xiaomis new Su7 electric carsat its delivery and service center in Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China, accessed on Sept. 27, 2025. (Adobe Stock Photo)
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Photo shows rows of Xiaomis new Su7 electric carsat its delivery and service center in Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China, accessed on Sept. 27, 2025. (Adobe Stock Photo)
September 27, 2025 12:42 PM GMT+03:00

Unlike other Chinese automakers, Xiaomi has no plans to manufacture electric vehicles in Türkiye, the company’s Middle East General Manager Tommy Yang said, according to Türkiye daily.

He emphasized that Europe remains the company’s main focus.

Speaking to Türkiye daily during Xiaomi’s global launch event in Germany's Munich, Yang confirmed there are no immediate production plans for Türkiye.

While other Chinese automotive giants are turning Türkiye into a regional hub, attention has shifted to Xiaomi, which has entered the EV market at a rapid pace.

BYD is preparing to break ground in Manisa in the coming days on a $1 billion factory, expected to begin mass production by the end of 2026.

Another major automaker, Chery, is planning a $1 billion investment in Samsun.

SWM Türkiye, which has quickly grown in the local market, is also preparing for production in Eskisehir.

Xiaomi SU7 Ultra electric car displayed in showroom, accessed on Sept. 27, 2025. (Adobe Stock Photo)
Xiaomi SU7 Ultra electric car displayed in showroom, accessed on Sept. 27, 2025. (Adobe Stock Photo)

'Europe is our priority'

Yang noted that Türkiye is an important market for Xiaomi’s sales, but reiterated that Europe is the priority.

“Our senior executives have also mentioned this. Europe is our priority. Europe is a major market, like the U.S. market.

In the future, based on our product launch schedule in Europe, we will share more information regarding other regions,” he said.

Yang also highlighted that Xiaomi already produces smartphones in Türkiye. “We have a local partner here. We are also producing some of our important phone models in Türkiye,” he said.

Xiaomi, which has signaled strong ambitions in the electric vehicle sector, plans to open 10,000 Xiaomi Stores worldwide by 2030.

Türkiye’s EV market surges

The number of registered electric cars in Türkiye reached 289,457 by the end of July 2025, marking a 120.6% increase compared with the same period last year, according to data from the Turkish Statistical Institute.

In 2015, only 565 EVs were registered.

The figure surpassed 250,000 in June 2025, with Türkiye’s overall passenger car fleet standing at 16.8 million in July.

EVs now account for 1.7% of the fleet, up from 1.1% at the end of 2024.

The growth has been fueled by expanded charging infrastructure and the launch of new models from global and domestic manufacturers.

Türkiye’s first domestically produced EV, Togg, has played a central role in boosting adoption, alongside international competitors such as Tesla and BYD.

From January to July 2025, nationwide EV sales totaled 103,310 units. BYD led with 29,284, followed by Togg with 19,821 and Tesla with 17,026.

Together, the three brands accounted for 64.1% of total sales, or 66,131 units, according to the Automotive Distributors’ and Mobility Association.

September 27, 2025 12:47 PM GMT+03:00
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