Technology

Great Wall Motor and BMW to make all-electric mini cars in China

The BMW Group, in collaboration with Great Wall Motor of China, to develop a plant that will manufacture fully-electric models of the re-owned Mini car brand. The BMW Group said on Friday that the construction phase of the facility scheduled to take place during 2020 and 2022 and will site in Zhangjiagang city, Jiangsu Province. The two companies have set up a combined project named Spotlight Automotive Limited, and the joint investment in the plant will cost around $715 million (650 million euros). Once after the construction and running of the facility, it will have the capacity to produce as more as 160,000 vehicles in a single year.

BMW stated that, together with the production of vehicles, the joint-facility would also give attention to the combined development of battery electric vehicles. A member of the BMW AG’s board of management, Nicolas Peter, said in a statement that this combined venture would allow them to produce Mini-brand-fully e-vehicles on a large scale at attractive conditions for the global market. It is also a significant move for the Mini brand – Peter. He added the combined project with Great Wall highlights the huge importance of the Chinese market for them. Mini Electric already present in Oxford, England. It is due to hit vehicles in March 2020, with charges officially starting at around $36,000 or £27,900.

The Biggest electric car market of the World

According to IEA (the International Energy Agency), global sales of the electric car hit 1.98 million, with the worldwide stock reaching 5.12 million. The IEA says that the electric car market of China is the biggest on Earth, a slight over one million e-cars sold last year with Europe and the United States following behind. The BMW Group is the main autonomous company to focus on electric-mobility in China. Volkswagen Group China said last week that along with the Chinese partners, it might invest over four billion euros next year. Approximately forty percent of this investment will focus on e-mobility. In July, the Jiangling Motors Corporation and Renault officially build a joint venture for e-vehicles in China. At that time, Renault said in an announcement that the venture would have intentions to further boost the development of the e-vehicle industry of China.