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Recently, according to foreign media reports, BMW will join forces with its long-term partner in Thailand, DR's XLMAIER Group Group, to invest 700 million baht (about 162 million yuan) in the first phase to produce batteries and accessories for a more integrated next-generation plug-in hybrid system, as well as power batteries for pure-electric models that closely follow Porsche's pace and high-voltage platforms. The battery factory is located in Luoyong, Thailand.

DR's XLMAIER Group, founded in Germany in 1985, is one of the long-term suppliers to BMW. DR's XLMAIER Group has three factories in China, located in Shenyang, Benxi and Langfang. Its business segment includes electrical systems, electronic components, automotive interiors and energy storage systems. In addition to BMW, DR's XLMAIER also supplies electric vehicle parts to Mercedes-Benz, Audi, Land Rover and other car companies.

The Thai plant is BMW's fourth largest battery plant, with three previous plants in Munich, South Carolina and Shenyang, China. Among them, the Spartanburg plant in the United States is BMW's largest factory in the world, mainly producing BMW X3 xDrive30i and X5 xDrive45e plug-in hybrid models, and the battery is purchased from Samsung. Recently, BMW is planning to invest $10 million (70 million yuan) to expand its power battery capacity and revamp its production line. Because of the mature system of BMW motorcycles made in Thailand, the brand-new power battery factory has chosen here again. Half of the four major battery factories are located in Asia, which can be described as "Sima Zhao's heart", which shows BMW's determination to seize the new energy market in Asia.

The high voltage battery factory in Shenyang, China represents BMW's highest level in power battery manufacturing. The plant, which was completed in October 2017, can produce 33000 high-voltage battery packs a year, with the first power battery used in the new BMW 5-Series plug-in hybrid model. In May 2018, the second phase of the brilliance BMW Power Battery Center project opened, and the fifth-generation BMW power batteries produced in the second phase will be used in mass-produced models of the BMW iX3 concept car, and all the batteries in the factory are purchased from Ningde era.

BMW X5 New Energy 2019 xDrive45e

BMW is not the first to enter Thailand to produce batteries, after Mercedes-Benz and Toyota have entered Thailand to start building battery production lines. It is understood that Thailand is not only a high-yielding country in Southeast Asia, but also one of the countries that vigorously promote electric cars in the region. If car companies produce major components such as motors and batteries in Thailand, they will receive policy incentives. So assembling batteries in Thailand will not only help companies get more tax breaks, but also give them more government incentives for electric cars.

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