BMW’s Chinese joint venture with Brilliance has unveiled a new brand in China in a bid to tap the nation’s fledgling electric car market.
The first Zinoro (Zhinuo in Chinese) all-electric vehicle will make its debut in November at the Guangzhou auto show and go on sale in the first quarter of 2014.
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The car is “specially made in China for China”, according to BMW board member Friedrich Eichiner.
The country is on the right track with regard to electric cars but the switch to a new technology takes time, he said, according to China Daily.
Zinoro cars will be built at the BMW joint venture which produces the 3, 5 and X1 in the northeastern city of Shenyang. It does special long wheelbase versions of the 3 and 5 for China’s chauffeur drive market.
Olaf Kastner, president and CEO of the joint venture, said the Zinoro would have a separate distribution channel and the batteries are sourced from within China. He also disclosed that the first product will be similar to an SUV.
BMW will also introduce the i3, an all-electric car under its wholly owned i sub-brand, to China – through imports.
Eichiner said Zinoro is rooted in China and reflects distinctive aspects of Chinese culture unlike the carmaker’s i brand.
The products will also be differentiated, he said, “They (Zinoro cars) may not be as dynamic as BMW cars, for example.”
He added Zinoro could possibly be exported.
So far, BMW is the first and only foreign luxury carmaker to launch such a joint venture-owned brand in China. Audi and Mercedes-Benz have not announced similar plans.
Nissan, Honda and General Motors have low-cost JV brands established and others are eyeing similar developments.
