Lei Jun’s Book Fueled EV Success | Generated by AI
Question: Did Lei Jun, the founder of Xiaomi, read a lot of books about car history and startup/entrepreneur stories when starting the car project, and did this kind of self-study or “brainwashing” help much with his success?
Answer:
Yes, Lei Jun engaged in intensive self-study by reading books when Xiaomi entered the electric vehicle (EV) industry.
Around 2021–2022, when Xiaomi officially launched its EV project (leading to the SU7 in 2024), Lei Jun actively sought out and read books to quickly understand the automotive sector. Reports indicate that he asked friends in the auto industry for book recommendations to better grasp the field. In his office, he had books like the Automotive Engineering Handbook and Principles of Lithium Battery, which became heavily used with dog-eared pages and handwritten notes — clear signs of serious self-study.
He also read biographies of automotive industry figures and watched racing movies to build passion and knowledge. Lei emphasized that to build a good car, one must first fall in love with cars, and he pursued this by obtaining a racing license and learning skills like drifting. This went beyond just technical books to include inspirational and historical content related to cars.
While specific titles on “car history” or classic startup stories (beyond his earlier life influenced by books like Steve Jobs biographies or Silicon Valley of Fire) are not always named for the car phase, his approach fits the pattern of deliberate “self-brainwashing” — immersing himself deeply in a new domain through reading, hands-on learning, and mindset change.
Did this help much with success?
It contributed significantly, but it was one part of a larger formula:
- Knowledge acquisition — As a newcomer (Xiaomi coming from smartphones), Lei needed to close the expertise gap quickly. Self-study helped him make informed decisions, set ambitious goals (e.g., outperforming Tesla Model S and Porsche Taycan in specs), and avoid some beginner mistakes.
- Mindset and passion — Lei has repeatedly said passion is key to building great cars. Reading and learning built his personal conviction, which he transmitted to the team.
- Other critical factors — Xiaomi’s success with SU7 (massive pre-orders, strong market reception) also came from huge investment (>100 billion RMB in R&D reported in phases), leveraging China’s supply chain, 14 years of prior entrepreneurial experience, hiring 3,400+ engineers, and Lei’s leadership style (user-focused, persistent).
In short, this intensive reading and self-immersion was very helpful — it built foundational understanding and emotional commitment in a short time — but success resulted from combining it with execution, resources, timing in China’s EV boom, and Lei’s proven track record. Many entrepreneurs (e.g., Elon Musk with rockets) use similar “forced learning” to enter complex industries, and it often accelerates progress when paired with action.
References:
- What Xiaomi’s Billionaire CEO Lei Jun Is Reading to Build EVs
- Xiaomi CEO Lei Jun says passion is key to building a great car
- What’s Driving the YU7’s Insane Sales? How Did Lei Jun Pull It Off? (mentions Automotive Engineering Handbook and notes in office)