BMW Group Executives Visit Great Wall Motor, Eyeing Deep Tech Collaboration

On March 31, 2024, Dr. Robert Puster, Member of the Board of Management of BMW Group responsible for R&D, led a delegation of at least five senior executives at the vice president level or above to Baoding for in-depth discussions with Great Wall Motor (GWM). The visiting team included BMW’s key executives overseeing core areas such as localized R&D in China, high-voltage batteries and charging systems, driving experience, and vehicle development, as well as technical leaders from BMW Brilliance Automotive and Spotlight Automotive Ltd. (Spotlight Automotive). GWM was represented by Chairman Wei Jianjun, Chief Strategy and Sustainability Officer (CSCO) Zhao Guoqing, and relevant business unit heads, while Spotlight Automotive’s CTO and management team participated throughout the visit. During the visit, the BMW delegation toured GWM’s Xushui manufacturing plant and its Group Technology Center, and experienced test drives of several models, including the WEY V9X, TANK 700, TANK 500, and ORA 5. Dr. Puster personally tested the V9X’s urban NOA (Navigate on Autopilot) functionality. He also held a private, one-on-one meeting with Mr. Wei Jianjun lasting approximately one hour. The two companies have collaborated for eight years since establishing their joint venture, Spotlight Automotive, in 2018. This high-level exchange closely aligned with GWM’s current strategic technological priorities, including the Guiyuan platform, Hi4 hybrid powertrain system, batteries, and new energy vehicle components. Industry observers speculate that the partnership could evolve beyond existing project-based cooperation toward deeper technological integration and collaboration within their supply chain ecosystems.