In the electric, BMW put on China. And for good reason, according to its local partner, Brilliance China Automotive, the German manufacturer of luxury cars plans to produce, in 2020 its first 100% electric SUV, in their joint venture in Shenyang (Northeast).
Above all, this vehicle, called “iX3”, will be sold worldwide, including North America. The United States, which is BMW’s second largest market, still threatens to tax products made in China more heavily.
High-tech vehicles
BMW took advantage of the opening of the Beijing Auto Show on Wednesday to present the public with a preview of this 100% electric SUV. On the spot, the owner of the propeller brand, Harald Krueger, also told the press that the company was considering “scenarios” to deliver other models made in China abroad.
This will make BMW the first luxury car manufacturer to export high-tech vehicles from China. A project probably favored by the next implementation of quotas production of electrified vehicles to manufacturers.
Adapt to standards
For analysts, this also comes from the fact that consumers do not necessarily associate Chinese manufacturing and cheap product. “As long as the vehicle is built properly, and BMW will make sure, the origin of the car is not too important for consumers,” says Tim Urquhart, automotive analyst at IHS Markit.
Now, the iX3, which will be able to cover 400 kilometers with a fully charged battery, will enter the high-end, fast-growing SUV segment directly. He will join Jaguar’s I-Pace crossover and the Audi Q6 E-Tron, expected to be delivered later this year, as well as the crossover Mercedes-Benz EQC, planned for 2019.
Finally, the choice of China, as the only initial production site of the iX3, shows the willingness of the Munich manufacturer to adapt to the standards set by the Chinese government in terms of reducing emissions. A necessary condition to conquer what is already the largest electric vehicle market in the world.