BMW open for new partners in mobility services venture

BMW is eager to discover additional partners for the mobility services venture it operates with competing automaker Daimler, BMW’s new chief executive informed a Sunday newspaper.

“We would like to welcome more partners in this area, which has great future potential,” BMW boss Oliver Zipse informed Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung (FAS) in an interview.

Collaborations together with financial investments were options for any future partners, he stated, adding that customers want a wide choice across different brands.

The two automakers have combined Daimler’s Car2Go car-sharing business with BMW’s DriveNow, ParkNow and ChargeNow businesses, with each having 50% stake in the venture.

Mobility services consist of car sharing, parking and electric car charging services.

The head of the mobility venture resigned previous month in what a media report described as a dispute over how much investment the business needs.

Zipse also informed FAS that BMW intends to take Daimler’s crown as the world’s largest maker of luxury cars but said there was no target by when this should be achieved.

“Of course the claim of a brand like BMW has to be number one. Sales volume is not the only yardstick here,” he was quoted as stating.