On the evening of July 24, BMW Group officially announced that BMW Brilliance Automotive Ltd. (BBA) and China Datang Corporation Ltd. (Datang Group) signed a strategic cooperation agreement in Shenyang to “jointly build a green automotive industry chain.” The two parties will establish a green power joint venture, developing a 1 GW onshore wind power project, making BMW the first automaker in China to establish a green power joint venture.
Founded in April 2003, China Datang Corporation Ltd. (formerly known as China Datang Corporation) is a large state-owned energy enterprise directly managed by the central government. With a registered and paid-in capital of RMB 37 billion, its businesses span power generation, coal and coal-chemical industries, finance, environmental protection, trade logistics, and emerging industries. Corporate records show that it is wholly owned by the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council (SASAC).
According to the agreement, the joint venture will adopt an innovative cooperation model. It will prioritize supplying high-quality green electricity to BMW’s Shenyang production base, while also providing flexible green power procurement options to BMW’s upstream and downstream partners in Liaoning Province — including suppliers, dealerships, and charging service operators. This initiative will accelerate the adoption of renewable electricity across the automotive industry chain.
Currently, BBA’s Shenyang production base and 36 non-production sites are already powered 100% by renewable electricity. On July 10, BMW Group noted on Weibo that one out of every three kilowatt-hours of electricity in China already comes from renewable sources. The Shenyang base, BMW’s Yianqi charging network, and over 200 suppliers have all committed to 100% renewable electricity usage. Yianqi, a premium supercharging brand jointly launched by BMW Group and Mercedes-Benz Group, is operated by a 50:50 joint venture. The partners aim to build at least 1,000 advanced supercharging stations (around 7,000 chargers) across China by the end of 2026, sourcing renewable electricity whenever possible. These stations will provide plug-and-charge functionality, online reservations, and other exclusive services for BMW and Mercedes customers, offering a sustainable premium charging experience in China.
This cooperation marks BMW Brilliance’s formal entry into the renewable power generation sector, making it the first automaker in China to establish a green power joint venture. Dr. Nicolas Peter, BMW Group Board Member for Finance, commented: “At BMW Group, innovation drives us and responsibility is our foundation. By investing in this green energy joint venture, we are not only fulfilling our commitment to sustainability but also setting an industry benchmark, embedding green energy throughout our value chain.”
Huang Chenghua, Party Secretary and Executive Director of Datang Liaoning, added that the cooperation will combine strengths in energy and advanced manufacturing, promote the large-scale use of renewable electricity in industry, and foster the development of a green automotive industry cluster in Liaoning. Dr. Franz Decker, President and CEO of BMW Brilliance, emphasized that the partnership is not only a win–win move for the two companies, but also a concrete step towards “a future driven by green energy and sustainable mobility.”
Through this innovative cooperation model, BMW Group will integrate a green energy DNA into its “Neue Klasse” models to be locally produced starting in 2026. To further accelerate local R&D and mass production, on July 18, BBA also signed an agreement with Jianye District in Nanjing to establish a wholly-owned subsidiary, BMW (Nanjing) Information Technology Co., Ltd. This new company will provide crucial digital technology support for local production of Neue Klasse models, covering the full process from R&D to production, procurement, and logistics.
The upcoming Neue Klasse models will adopt 6th-generation eDrive technology, significantly reducing lifecycle carbon emissions. The BMW Vision Neue Klasse concept car made its domestic debut ahead of the 2024 Beijing Auto Show. According to the plan, the Shenyang production base is expected to roll out the first locally produced Neue Klasse model next year.
