BMW has a couple of interesting joint ventures in China, as per the local regulations. The Germans have a long-standing partnership with Brilliance Auto and last year went into business with another Chinese car maker, Great Wall. This second joint venture was focused on the MINI brand and its electric cars. However, while officials are smiling and claiming everything is going according to plan, German media outlets claim things are not going so smoothly over there.
According to various sources, it looks like the project might be dropped altogether due to ‘big cultural differences’. What that means exactly is yet to be determined but it looks like BMW engineers and other high ranking officials are not exactly satisfied with how Great Wall wants to proceed and built the cars. According to the report, BMW does not want to make any concessions regarding its quality and safety standards, while their Chinese partners are aiming for cost-effective production above all else.
This could lead to bigger costs than anticipated. When the two companies founded Spotlight Automotive, the company which will actually be making the electric Minis in China, they set a certain budget for building the plant and everything that goes along with it. Apparently, that cost would’ve been close to 700 million euros. However, BMW didn’t realize at the time, that this small sum implies lower quality standards than usual.
Thus, in order for the quality and safety standards of BMW to be reached, a bigger investment might be necessary and that’s another issue dividing the two giant car makers. Since a change of leadership is going to happen in Munich and considering the strains the company is going through, especially financially, this entire project could be eventually dropped. However, a decision is reportedly yet to be agreed upon so we’ll have to wait and see what the future holds for Spotlight Automotive.
Via: Sued Deutsche
Hopefully the Project will fail. I want original BMW edrives in Minis.
China are mandating millions of BEV into existence, Geely are building new electric Smart Car there. Manufacturing electric MINI in China is like building ICE crossovers in America.
Some things do not change very quickly in China.
BMW have been manufacturing & exporting from there for years, this story makes no sense, multiple manufacturers co-produce in China.
Yeah, and the Chinese government owns all the technology and the means to populate their database for control of their citizenry and visitors,
China keeps getting depicted as BIg Bad, but after years of next import car wave being forecast they haven’t been able to produce 1 vehicle for global export (& that after yrs. of domestic co-productions). In fact to access BEV tech. they bought into Daimler & allowed BMW to increase ownership in Brilliance. Wrt tech. & data, isn’t that their newest overseas push? Between that, Russia & Trump, America may as well surrender now.
Will, Facebook and Google want the same tracking abilities, they just wan to sell it, though. That way their hands are as clean as Pontius Pilate.
You did not get the notice we had? Look with whom Trump is buddies: Putin, MBS, Kim, Xi while he berates leaders of our democratic allies.
Oh, I don’t trust them. I just fear our greatest threats are even closer to home, you name # least a couple of ’em.