Xiaomi Corp. will consider exporting its electric vehicles starting in 2027, chief executive officer Lei Jun said during a livestreamed briefing. The smartphone-maker-turned-carmaker has limited its EV sales to China since debuting production in 2024, but the executive said the company is now mapping out an international rollout once domestic output can support both local and overseas demand. Lei attributed the cautious timetable to unexpectedly strong interest at home. Sales of the SU7 sedan have surpassed Tesla’s Model 3 every month since December, while the newly launched YU7 SUV generated enough orders to push delivery wait times beyond a year. Xiaomi’s sole assembly plant near Beijing, completed in mid-2023, is running two shifts and can build about 20,000 vehicles a month; the company is examining ways to lift capacity before opening new markets. A move into foreign markets would put Xiaomi in direct competition with other Chinese automakers accelerating their global expansion. This week Geely announced plans to introduce its electric EX5 SUV in the United Kingdom later this year, and Changan said it is scouting locations for a European factory to support continental sales. The growing international push comes as Chinese brands seek to diversify revenue and mitigate the impact of protectionist tariffs on imports.