Xiaomi’s push into the electrical car world simply obtained a significant design enhance. The Chinese language tech large has recruited Kai Langer, a former BMW design chief with over twenty years of expertise in shaping a number of the most distinctive and forward-looking fashions in Munich’s portfolio. Langer confirmed the information by way of his LinkedIn profile, writing:
“After greater than twenty years throughout the BMW Group and plenty of superb tasks and tasks I had the pleasure to work in, I made a decision to take the step to a brand new problem. From the primary of August I’ll be part of one of the progressive and rebellion massive tech gamers on the planet,” he added. “XIAOMI, already established within the tech and shopper electronics market, and with a moon rocketing debut within the automotive trade is ramping up their enterprise and is giving me the possibility to be a powerful a part of it. I’m very curious concerning the prospects that shall be given to me to maintain going to create a shiny future…”
From BMW i to Xiaomi EVs
Langer’s precise position at Xiaomi stays undefined publicly, listed solely as Buyer / Model / Product on his LinkedIn web page. Nonetheless, given his design pedigree and Xiaomi’s rising EV lineup, it’s extensively assumed he shall be taking a significant position in firm’s electrical automobile division. That is no minor appointment. Langer performed a vital position within the improvement of BMW’s electrification design language. He was deeply concerned within the design of the BMW i3 and i8—two of the model’s earliest and most iconic EVs—and extra lately held artistic management on the Imaginative and prescient Neue Klasse ideas, which preview BMW’s future course in electrification and sustainability.
Actually, Langer helped form practically each main electrical idea automobile from BMW over the previous couple of years. That features the BMW i Imaginative and prescient Round, a completely recyclable, compact city idea and the BMW i Imaginative and prescient Dee, which showcased superior digital options like full-width head-up shows and emotional AI interplay.
Most lately, in October 2024, Langer was appointed Head of MINI Inside Design, additional increasing his affect throughout the BMW Group’s manufacturers. Previous to that, he served as Inventive Director for BMW Group Design beginning in 2016 and was promoted in 2019 to Head of Design for BMW i.
Staying in Munich, Becoming a member of Former Colleagues
Langer will stay based mostly in Munich, the place Xiaomi has been quietly increasing its automotive footprint. The corporate opened a devoted electrical car analysis and improvement heart in Bavaria this yr. That heart is led by one other BMW veteran—Rudolf Dittrich—who joined Xiaomi in 2024 after a 15-year profession at BMW, most lately overseeing Small Quantity Sequence tasks from 2021 to 2024.
Xiaomi’s option to base its R&D efforts in Germany speaks volumes about its ambitions. By embedding itself within the coronary heart of the worldwide automotive design and engineering group, Xiaomi is clearly seeking to marry cutting-edge Chinese language expertise with European automotive experience.
