BMW and Daimler mull development of joint e-car platform to save billions in costs

German carmaker heavyweights Daimler and BMW are exploring the possibility of developing a joint electric vehicle platform that could see each company save about seven billion euros, Georg Kacher writes in the Süddeutsche Zeitung. The carmakers declined to comment on the reported plans, Kacher writes. A partnership would be difficult politically but “without alternatives from a calculatory perspective”, a BMW insider told the newspaper. The companies would have no other option than saving costs, a Daimler manager added. “At the same time, we have to invest everywhere. Instead of inventing the wheel again all by ourselves, consolidation is in order – otherwise we’ll even lose the grip on our core business.”

German carmakers have vowed to drastically ramp up their efforts in e-mobility in recent months. Volkswagen, the country’s biggest car company, has also said it would share its e-car development platform with other carmakers and last week signed up e-carmaker e.Go as its first partner.