If you needed another indication that American automakers are lagging behind in the electric car race, here's a significant one. Ford CEO Jim Farley has revealed that he's been driving a Chinese-made Xiaomi SU7 for months and isn't ready to give it up.

"I've had two trips to China in the past two years that were truly eye-opening," Farley told the Everything Electric Show in an interview posted to YouTube on Monday. "The most recent one was about the Xiaomi product. In the West, our cellphone companies don't have car divisions. But in China, both Huawei and Xiaomi, the two largest cellphone companies, are deeply integrated into every vehicle that's made."

Xiaomi, one of China's leading smartphone and e-scooter manufacturers, unveiled its first passenger car, the SU7, in late 2023. The vehicle was met with overwhelming demand, selling out its entire 2024 production run within 24 hours. Currently, there's a six-month waiting list for the car.

"Xiaomi is a powerhouse in the industry and a consumer brand that is far stronger than most car companies," Farley added. "I don't usually talk about competitors, but I drive a Xiaomi. We had one flown from Shanghai to Chicago, and I've been driving it for six months now. I don't want to give it up."

Neither Ford nor Xiaomi responded immediately to requests for comment from Motor1. Farley's comments come at a time when Western automakers are significantly behind in technical advancements for electric vehicles. Our sister site InsideEVs visited Shanghai earlier this year and found that Chinese brands are years ahead of their counterparts in the US and Europe in terms of price, battery technology, software integration, charging, and range.

Americans can't experience these advancements due to high tariffs on Chinese auto imports. There's a fear that without these tariffs, Chinese automakers could dominate Western carmakers overnight with superior products at lower prices, potentially crippling the entire industry.

In September, Farley described Chinese manufacturers as an "existential threat." His enthusiasm for the SU7 seems to confirm that assessment. If this isn't a clear sign that Western carmakers need to step up their game quickly, we don't know what is.

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