A major German platform will bring Chinese cars to Europe. Xiaomi vows to fight back, but the law allows it.

The German online platform Autohelden announced that it plans to start selling cars from brands such as Zeekr, Jetour, Avatr, and Xiaomi in Germany and across Europe, according to the German automotive weekly Automobilwoche. Xiaomi has protested, claiming it “has already taken legal action to ban imports,” but EU law includes an exception that may hinder the Chinese company’s efforts until it sells its cars on the Old Continent.

EU “minor homologation,” a way for small-scale imports

The laws in force within the European Union allow for several types of homologation for cars imported from other countries. “Full” (EU-WVTA) homologation permits unrestricted sales but is costly, requiring tests for electromagnetic radiation, safety (comprehensive crash tests), and the presence of driver assistance systems. If a car from China displayed in a showroom does not have Euro NCAP crash tests, we can assume it also lacks full homologation — because the distributor, for example, would find it wasteful to invest in such certification.

Some companies trying to sell models of Chinese brands bring them to Europe using simplified, “minor” homologation. This allows them to avoid meeting the latest safety standards, but the total number of vehicles is limited to around 1,500 for the Union or a similar figure in a specific EU country. Even if the importer is clever enough to list each battery capacity and drive type as a separate category—partial homologation permits this alternative to certifying by model—the number for such a Xiaomi model would not exceed around 10,000 units.

Even by categorizing all Xiaomi models, the importer will not be able to supply more than around 10,000 units of a given model, as there is a maximum of 1,500 units per combination of powertrain and battery capacity (c) Xiaomi China

It seems this number is sufficient for Autohelden. The company claims the entire supply chain has already been finalized and is “in the final stages of preparation,” as it operates 80 to 100 dealerships in Europe. The firm expects to sell around 50,000 [different brand] cars on the Old Continent in the first year, with one-third of those in Germany (source). This is a huge figure; even importers posing as official dealers aimed for at most a few hundred units of a particular model, with several thousand to tens of thousands being their dream.

Autohelden intends to import the Xiaomi SU7 and YU7 in all their variants, as well as the Zeekra 8X and 9X, Avatra 06, 07, 11, and 12, as well as the Jetour Dashinga, X70, and T2. It is unclear whether these plans will conflict with the activities of Poland’s Asian Automotive Distribution Center (AADC) within the European Union, which has also shown interest in Jetour models. Not to mention the owner of CarNewsChina, who imports Xiaomi vehicles to Europe as well. It is known, however, that the manufacturer firmly distances itself from the German importer and threatens legal action to stop the influx of these vehicles.

Xiaomi plans to enter the European market in 2027.

Promotional graphics for the Jetour Dashing model (c) Jetour Global

Editor’s note from Elektrowozu: The situation is quite interesting. One might be outraged, but EU law gives Xiaomi some leeway. And if Autohelden sets up a service and warranty network, it could become the preferred choice for this Chinese company when it comes to dealerships in a year. Many fortunes were built this way during Poland’s political transformation – because suddenly, a workshop with expertise turned out to be better than one recommended by an agency.

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