People visit the BMW outdoor booth during the International Motor Show Germany (IAA Mobility) in Munich, Germany, Sept. 8, 2021. The IAA Mobility, with the slogan "What will move us next," is held here from Sept. 7 to 12. (Xinhua/Lu Yang)
BMW's largest supplier of battery cells is currently the Chinese company CATL. In the field of digitalization, BMW has established its own digital companies, and it cooperates with several Chinese companies.
MUNICH, Germany, Sept. 9 (Xinhua) -- German luxury carmaker BMW is determined to continue its close cooperation with China's automobile industry to promote the sustained, long-term and rapid development of its business, said Oliver Zipse, chairman of the Board of Management (CEO) of BMW AG, in a recent interview.
The BMW Group considers China one of its most important markets for innovation, Zipse told Xinhua during the German auto show IAA Mobility in Munich.
At IAA Mobility, which lasts from Sept. 7 to Sept. 12, the BMW Group presented its latest concept vehicle, the BMW i Vision Circular, which is manufactured from 100-percent recyclable secondary and renewable materials. The BMW Group also announced its ambition to reduce CO2 emissions across the life cycle of its vehicles by 40 percent by 2030 compared to 2019.
A man works at the Tiexi Plant of BMW Brilliance Automotive (BBA) in Shenyang, capital of northeast China's Liaoning Province, Feb. 17, 2020. (Xinhua/Pan Yulong)
BMW's largest supplier of battery cells is currently the Chinese company CATL. In the field of digitalization, BMW has established its own digital companies, and it cooperates with several Chinese companies, such as Tencent and Alibaba, to continuously strengthen its digital footprint, Zipse said.
"Chinese customers are very keen on electrification and digitalization, which is good for BMW," he said.
The Chinese market is a major driving force for innovation and development, and BMW will continue to cooperate with local players in the Chinese automotive industry to provide quality products and premium experiences for Chinese customers, he said.
Zipse said that BMW will carry out new plans in China based on its strong cooperation with its local joint venture partners. Thanks to the support of close-knit partnerships and its two main joint ventures, the BMW Group has been able to expand its business and continue to grow rapidly in China.
"The BMW Group remains a growing company, we have been gaining market share. In just 18 months, thanks to great development in China, we have increased our global market share from 3.1 percent to 3.5 percent," he said.
An i8 Roadster car is exhibited at the booth of BMW at the Automobile exhibition area during the third China International Import Expo (CIIE) in Shanghai, east China, Nov. 7, 2020. (Xinhua/Zhao Dingzhe)
The BMW Group sold a record 467,000 BMW and MINI vehicles to Chinese customers in the first half of 2021, up 41.9 percent year-on-year, the company has said.
Electric mobility plays an important role in the BMW Group's strategy with a focus on sustainability, Zipse said.
The BMW Group will launch 12 battery electric vehicles globally by 2023, covering 90 percent of different segments. In the next decade, the company expects to deliver ten million fully electric vehicles.
"By the end of 2021, all our production sites worldwide will be net carbon-neutral," Zipse said, adding that "by reducing carbon emissions in ways that are scientifically verifiable, we are fully committed to the goal of complete carbon neutrality by 2050 throughout the entire value chain." ■
