Chinese tech giant and rising EV manufacturer Xiaomi has recruited Kai Langer, former head of design at BMW i, to join its automotive division. Langer, who spent over 20 years at BMW shaping the iconic i series, officially started with Xiaomi on August 1st and will remain based in Munich at Xiaomi’s R&D centre.

While his exact role at Xiaomi is unclear, Langer’s expertise in defining premium EV design—making electric cars instantly recognisable while retaining brand identity—signals Xiaomi’s ambition to strengthen its presence in the high-end electric vehicle market.

His arrival comes as Xiaomi expands its EV lineup, including the SU7 and YU7 models, aiming to set trends rather than follow them.

Langer expressed excitement about the move on LinkedIn, highlighting the opportunity to apply his design philosophy at “one of the most progressive and rising big tech players” and contribute to shaping the future of Xiaomi’s automotive identity.