- BMW pledges over 95% local production in China by 2030, pivoting to deeper localization amid steep domestic demand weakness and intense competitive pressure from local EV makers.
- Long-wheelbase Neue Klasse iX3 opens at RMB 269,900–339,900 (about $40,330–$50,790) after RMB 10 billion ($1.49 billion) investment in sixth‑generation large‑cell battery production in Shenyang.
- Targets premium EV and ICE segments with packed 2026–28 launch cadence, but faces execution risks from China sales declines, tight launch timing, supply scaling and margin pressure.
BMW Group Chairman Milan Nedeljković visited China for the first time since taking office this Tuesday, according to Beijing Business Today.
He said China had become one of the world’s most competitive automotive markets and that BMW would continue to compete through technological innovation, product quality and customer value.
BMW said it would continue to deepen its localization strategy, targeting local production for more than 95% of the vehicles it sells in China by 2030.
The target comes as BMW faces mounting sales pressure in China.
In the third quarter of 2026, BMW delivered 114,355 vehicles in China, down 24.8% year on year. Deliveries for the first nine months totaled 376,128 vehicles, a decline of 21.8%.
Over the same period, BMW delivered 235,628 vehicles in Europe, up 2.7% year on year, and 106,741 vehicles in the United States, up 2.5%.
Growth in Europe and the US failed to offset the downturn in China.
BMW Group’s global deliveries still fell 4.9% year on year in the first nine months, although they remained above 1.7 million vehicles.
After concluding his visit to Beijing, Nedeljković will travel to Shenyang, Liaoning province, to attend BMW China Innovation Day 2026 and a ceremony marking the rollout of sixth-generation power batteries on October 15.
Shenyang is a key hub in BMW’s global production network. One of the main focuses of the event is to advance the localization of battery technology for the automaker’s Neue Klasse models.
BMW has invested RMB 10 billion ($1.49 billion) in the sixth-generation battery project.
The batteries use large cylindrical cells and are a key component of the battery technology underpinning BMW’s Neue Klasse vehicles.
According to the company, the China-produced long-wheelbase Neue Klasse iX3, equipped with sixth-generation batteries, completed an internal extreme-range test in China, covering 1,030.2 km on a single charge.
The long-wheelbase Neue Klasse iX3 opened for pre-orders at the 2026 Chengdu Motor Show, with prices ranging from RMB 269,900 to RMB 339,900 ($40,330–$50,790).
The model is scheduled to go on sale in China in the fourth quarter of this year.
According to BMW’s China product roadmap disclosed at its 2026 Capital Markets Day, the long-wheelbase i3, updated 7 Series and all-electric i7, new X5 and all-electric iX5 are scheduled for launch in China in the first quarter of 2027.
BMW also plans to introduce four additional models in China between the second and fourth quarters of 2027, although the specific models have not yet been disclosed.
Five new models are expected to enter the Chinese market in 2028.
The packed launch schedule suggests BMW is seeking to respond to changes in China’s competitive landscape by renewing its product lineup across both combustion-engine and electric vehicles.
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