Recently, the BMW Group announced the latest financial report. The global revenue of 20.917 billion euros in the first quarter increased by 14.7% year-on-year, and the net profit of 1.516 billion euros increased by 4.0% compared with 1.458 billion euros in the same period last year.
BMW is like a clock with a clockwork, and it constantly sends its products to all parts of the world. Among them, the recovery of the US and European markets has become its main thrust, and the sales of X5, a high-profit SUV, jumped by 30%.
But the problem that plagues BMW's top management is that BMW's world's largest market, China, is facing a "new normal" of slowing growth. In the first quarter of this year, the cumulative sales of the BMW Group's global vehicles was 526,669 units, an increase of 8.1% year-on-year. The Chinese market contributed transcripts of 115,000 of them. However, the growth rate of 6.5% year-on-year indicates that BMW is facing unprecedented challenges in China.
Not only BMW, but its rival in China, Audi, also faces the same confusion. In the first quarter, sales of 133,000 vehicles, Audi increased by 7.1%. In contrast, Mercedes-Benz is struggling to catch up, although the sales of 78,000 vehicles still have a huge gap with Audi BMW, but the 16.6% year-on-year growth confirms the market potential of Mercedes-Benz.
There were interceptions before, and there were followers. This is the status quo of BMW in China. This also directly prompted BMW to speed up the introduction of new models, such as BMW Brilliance intends to change the domestic models from three models to six models. At the Shanghai Auto Show, Ange, President and CEO of BMW Group Greater China, revealed that 10 new models will be introduced in the Chinese market this year. One of the most interesting is the BMW 2 Series multi-purpose wagon. With this model, the BMW Group hopes to create a new market segment.
In addition, BMW 觊觎 will look farther. At the Shanghai Auto Show, the new BMW X5 plug-in hybrid world premiere, BMW Group Director Robertson believes that China is expected to become the world's largest new energy vehicle market. As the leader of sustainable travel, BMW will continue to advance in this field. BMW plans to ensure that the original driving pleasure, while based on the revolutionary innovation brought by BMWi, equipped with plug-in hybrid systems for all BMW brands, continuously reducing the carbon emissions of vehicles.
It is reported that the BMWX5 plug-in hybrid integrates a 2.0-liter Twin-PowerTurbo twin-scroll turbocharged engine and a synchronous motor with a combined fuel consumption of 3.3 liters per 100 km and CO2 emissions of only 77 g/km. In pure electric mode, the top speed can reach 120 kilometers and the cruising range is up to 31 kilometers. Previously, the BMW i8 appeared in the Hollywood movie "Mission Impossible 4", and the BMW X5 plug-in hybrid will also join the "Mission Impossible 5".
Last year, with the launch of BMW's new strategic models i3 and i8, BMW innovatively launched the "360° electric" series of electric vehicle support services. This service also supports BMW plug-in hybrid products. The “360° Electric” service provides a full set of service support to consumers of BMW New Energy Vehicles: home charging solutions; ChargeNow public charging network construction; flexible travel services with financial services and rental sharing as the main content; and new energy sources A package of solutions such as worry-free car services to ensure that customers can enjoy the environmental advantages of new energy vehicles.
In the field of new energy vehicles, whether it is the launch of new brand i and "360° electric" service, or the introduction of plug-in hybrid models, BMW is ahead of schedule, but this does not mean that competitors are sitting still, Audi and Mercedes have It said that it will launch similar models as soon as possible, and Volvo has also launched the S60L intelligent E-drive plug-in hybrid vehicle. This "committed" low-carbon environmental protection business war has not yet begun.