In 2013, Lei Jun was a fan.
In 2026, he’s a threat.
The photo on the top is from a Tesla factory tour 13 years ago. Lei Jun was there to learn, dressed in a hoodie, taking notes on Elon Musk’s vision.
The photo on the bottom is from May 14. They were sitting at the same table in the Great Hall of the People.
They aren’t mentor and student anymore.
They are direct rivals in the most competitive EV market on earth.
Here is the breakdown of that 13-year evolution:
1. Observations become execution
Lei Jun didn’t just admire Tesla; he studied the “first principles” approach.
He didn’t build a car company; he built a tech ecosystem that happens to have a car.
2. The Speed of Scale
Tesla took a decade to find its footing. Xiaomi launched the SU7 and hit massive production milestones in months.
Speed is the only unfair advantage left in the 2020s.
3. The Narrative Shift
In 2013, the world looked to Silicon Valley for the future. In 2026, Silicon Valley is looking at Beijing to see how fast a supply chain can actually move.
✅ The lesson?
Don’t just watch your heroes. Out-execute them.
✍️ Want to understand the technical and strategic blueprint behind this rise?
I break down the exact playbooks in my book, “The Xiaomi Formula.”
It’s a deep dive into how a smartphone giant rewrote the rules of the automotive industry in record time.
