3 February 2011 | Angeline Albert
The BMW Group and PSA Peugeot Citroën
have agreed to buy car components together as part of a new joint venture.
Yesterday
the two carmakers signed a deal to set up a project that will develop hybrid parts
for the electrification of their vehicles.
The BMW
Peugeot Citroen Electrification venture will enable combined component
purchasing, research and development and production.
Wolfgang
Güllich, currently responsible for BMW Group’s purchasing strategy, will be
appointed CEO of the new enterprise.
The hybrid
components being developed include battery packs, generators, power electronics
and chargers. The new parts will equip both partners’ vehicles from 2014
onwards.
In a
statement the companies said: “This co-operative venture will enable us to
achieve significant economies of scale in the field of electrification. The
joint venture will both integrate suppliers by outsourcing development work and
could sell hybrid components to other companies beside its two shareholders.”
The car manufacturers have been collaborating
on engines for several years, building more than 1.8 million units from 2006 to
2010.
Subject
to approval by competition authorities, the venture is expected to launch in
the second quarter of this year.
