- Due to production process issues, the power batteries in these vehicles pose a risk of overheating.
- The recall is being carried out by Spotlight, the joint venture between BMW and Great Wall Motor.
BMW’s China venture, Spotlight Automotive, is recalling a small number of locally produced Mini electric vehicles (EVs), marking a setback in a highly competitive market.
Spotlight — a 50:50 joint venture between BMW and Great Wall Motor (SHA: 601633) — is recalling a total of 70 domestically produced Mini EVs, according to an announcement on the website of China’s State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) today.
This includes 55 Mini Coopers produced between June 1, 2024, and August 17, 2024, and 15 Mini Acemans produced between January 10, 2024, and September 18, 2024.
For some vehicles within the recall, issues in the production process of the power batteries may cause the anode and cathode plates of some battery cells to shift, leading to excessive self-discharge of the cells, according to the announcement.
In extreme cases, this could lead to overheating of the power battery, posing a safety hazard, the announcement said.
Spotlight will replace the defective power battery modules in the recalled vehicles free of charge to eliminate the safety hazard.
Spotlight was established in December 2019, with its headquarters and vehicle production base located in Zhangjiagang, Jiangsu province, eastern China.
This is BMW’s first pure electric vehicle joint venture project globally, with an annual production capacity of 160,000 vehicles.
Currently, the Mini brand offers pure electric vehicles including Mini Cooper, Mini Aceman, Mini JCW, and Mini JCW Aceman.
($1 = RMB 7.1962)
Deliveries of Firefly cars will begin on April 29, with a BaaS battery rental purchase option available on August 1.
