MUNICH: BMW Group has announced that MINI and China-based Great Wall Motors are in a new joint-venture that will see battery-electric MINI vehicles being made available in the world's largest electro-mobility market.
Both BMW Group and Great Wall Motor have have signed a "letter of intent" that will have the MINI electric vehicle (EV) emerge from its plant in Oxford, England at the start of 2019.
The next steps will be to agree on the details of a possible joint venture and cooperation agreement and clarify aspects such as the choice of production location and concrete investments.
The BMW Group has no plans to set up an additional sales organisation in China and is firmly committed to continuing the successful cooperation with the established sales structure.
Independently of its strategic considerations towards the MINI brand, the BMW Group will further expand its BMW Brilliance Automotive (BBA) joint venture in China with its partner, Brilliance.
In addition to its two automobile production locations, BBA already runs an engine plant, which includes a battery factory for electrified BMW vehicles produced locally in Shenyang.
This is the first battery factory operated by a premium automobile manufacturer in China.
