A grassroots R&D employee from Geely’s Hangzhou Bay R&D Center experienced a remarkable salary increase, with their annual pay rising from 200,000 yuan to 1 million yuan after transitioning to Xiaomi Auto. This individual was a member of the team led by Hu Zhengnan, the former president of Geely Automobile Research Institute. Following Hu Zhengnan’s departure in 2021, approximately 200 to 300 core R&D personnel from Geely also joined Xiaomi Auto. Their arrival significantly expedited Xiaomi’s vehicle development efforts, thanks to the standardized automotive manufacturing process system they brought from Geely. During Xiaomi Auto’s startup phase, internal team differences and salary disparities heightened tensions. Hu Zhengnan stepped in as a mediator, and Lei Jun, Xiaomi’s founder, also intervened multiple times to facilitate coordination. In April 2026, Hu Zhengnan was promoted to Vice President of Xiaomi Group and Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of the Automotive Division, where he oversees platform development for multiple vehicle models.