Xiaomi’s push into the electrical automobile world simply obtained a significant design enhance. The Chinese language tech big has recruited Kai Langer, a former BMW design chief with over 20 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 20 years inside the BMW Group and quite a lot of superb tasks and duties 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 a part of some 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 business is ramping up their enterprise and is giving me the prospect to be a powerful a part of it. I’m very curious in regards to the potentialities that can be given to me to maintain going to create a vibrant future…”
From BMW i to Xiaomi EVs
Langer’s actual function 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 can be taking a significant function in firm’s electrical automotive division. That is no minor appointment. Langer performed an important function 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 just lately held artistic management on the Imaginative and prescient Neue Klasse ideas, which preview BMW’s future route in electrification and sustainability.
In actual fact, Langer helped form almost each main electrical idea automotive from BMW over the previous few years. That features the BMW i Imaginative and prescient Round, a totally 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 just 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 Artistic 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 automobile 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 just 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.
