BMW EV China sales; not good

[97prizm]

Well, it's a tough market when the rules of entry require you to basically let your rivals commit industrial espionage against you so then they can make your product for less with the heavy subsidy of the Chinese gov't.

The mistake these companies are making is getting into the Chinese market in the first place.

Definitely. Tesla was the first automotive manufacturer that wasn't required to work with a local manufacturer.

 

[97prizm]

You don't suppose this problem would have had anything to do with the import duties?

From reading bmw builds its evs for the Chinese market in China.

 

[KrisZ]

Chinese buying China made EVs over foreign, who would’ve thought that could happen? I’m shocked I tell you, who do they think they are?

 

[JeffKeryk]

Chinese buying China made EVs over foreign, who would’ve thought that could happen? I’m shocked I tell you, who do they think they are?

There's more to it than that.
BMW EVs and traditional combustion vehicles are struggling in China due to:

• aggressive domestic competitors
• falling premium market demand
• current BMW EV models are mostly converted ICE platforms lacking dedicated EV architecture

This collapse has significantly impacted BMW's bottom line.

 

[OVERKILL]

• current BMW EV models are mostly converted ICE platforms lacking dedicated EV architecture

We've been over this it feels like 100 times. CLAR was not a "converted ICE platform", it was designed, from inception, to be multi-powertrain, which included EV/HEV/PHEV/ICE. Neue Klasse carries on this same philosophy, simply with more attention given to the EV use case.

Secondly, the iX WAS in fact built on a dedicated EV platform.

Ford "converted" (quite successfully, relatively speaking) an ICE platform (Escape) for the Mach-E. Ford has multiple platforms and architectures, as does GM, Stellantis, Honda, Toyota...etc. This shouldn't be unexpected for companies shipping multiple powertrain configurations and options (unlike Tesla, Rivian...etc).

I highly doubt that the use of CLAR for the i4 had any meaningful impact on sales in China. Domestic competition, and prices of that domestic competition, is likely the primary driver here.

 

[JeffKeryk]

I highly doubt that the use of CLAR for the i4 had any meaningful impact on sales in China. Domestic competition, and prices of that domestic competition, is likely the primary driver here.

Perhaps do some research; I did. I did not pull my post our of my hat...

The CLAR is, at best, a compromise. A pure play approach makes a better product. The CLAR is hardly an efficient EV product.
BMW is phasing out CLAR based electric models in the China markets and a shifting towards newer platforms like the Neue Klasse, which are specifically designed for electric vehicles.

But each to his/her own.

 

[97prizm]

There's more to it than that.
BMW EVs and traditional combustion vehicles are struggling in China due to:

• aggressive domestic competitors
• falling premium market demand
• current BMW EV models are mostly converted ICE platforms lacking dedicated EV architecture

This collapse has significantly impacted BMW's bottom line.

However I've found articles where the Chinese are starting to favor "Made in China " just like we push for "Made in the USA ".

 

[JeffKeryk]

However I've found articles where the Chinese are starting to favor "Made in China " just like we push for "Made in the USA ".

I'm sure you are right and this is part of the BMW troubles. But what's funny is, BMW has a significant manufacturing presence in China, not to mention engineering.

 

[alarmguy]

A bit overboard, Tesla experiences much of the same trouble here in the USA. 2025 sales down 8.6% Market share down about the same 8%. Meanwhile BMW hit their highest ever sales numbers in the USA and 3rd record year of continued sales growth vs Telsa 3 years of declines. https://www.greenville.com/news/202...ica-reports-full-year-2025-u-s-sales-results/

BMW China 2025 sales down 12.5% Tesla China sales down 4.78%
Not sure what they can do, luxury cars in China are possibly not as much a status symbol however, just because this moment in time a downturn who knows what will happen. Though we already know China is here to dominate the world and road block everything they can from outsiders.
Just drawing comparisons which is a bit out of whack as we are comparing a luxury brand BMW against Tesla. Two different markets.
But it does show how market forces change in different countries.

BTW Tesla China sales down 7.87% so far this year 2026.
(Im sure many do not know this do to lack of transparency)
https://cnevpost.com/2026/06/08/tesla-ends-two-month-retail-slump-china-may-2026/