Auto industry pulls out stops to tackle slumping sales

Great Wall partners with BMW

China's Great Wall Motors and German carmaker BMW unveiled their joint venture Spotlight Automotive in Jiangsu province in November.

The deal of a partnership was signed in Berlin, Germany in 2018. The unveiling marks the latest step of their plan to co-develop and produce electric vehicles for China and overseas markets. Spotlight, with a 50:50 structure, has a total investment of 5.1 billion yuan ($729 million).

Construction of the plant in Jiangsu will start in 2020 and is to be completed by 2022, according to the two companies.

The two will co-develop and produce electric cars at the joint venture, including electric MINIs and Great Wall Motors' vehicles. Spotlight will also cover procurement, warehousing and logistics.

BMW said the joint venture will not set up an additional sales organization in China for future models.

The German carmaker said its plant in Oxford, the United Kingdom, will remain the heart of MINI production.