BMW to launch China-exclusive all-electric 3 Series

Photo taken on Dec. 21, 2021 shows the inside of the new Tiexi Plant of BMW Brilliance Automotive (BBA) in Shenyang, northeast China's Liaoning Province.  (Xinhua)

In 2021, global sales of the BMW Group, which includes the brands Rolls Royce and MINI, increased by 8.4 percent to more than 2.52 million units, with the BMW brand setting a new sales record of 2.2 million units.

BERLIN, March 31 (Xinhua) -- German carmaker BMW announced on Thursday it will launch the first all-electric 3 Series car exclusively for the Chinese market in May 2022.

The BMW i3 eDrive35L, to be built at BMW Brilliance Automotive Ltd.'s plant in Shenyang of northeast China's Liaoning Province, is the "perfect fit for the particular requirements" of the Chinese market, the company said.

Photo taken on Dec. 21, 2021 shows the inside of the new Tiexi Plant of BMW Brilliance Automotive (BBA) in Shenyang, northeast China's Liaoning Province.  (Xinhua)

Compared to the standard 3 Series model, the car's wheelbase is 11 centimeters longer. In addition, the BMW OS8 operating system as well as digital features such as high-end connectivity are to be built in the model series for the first time.

In 2021, global sales of the BMW Group, which includes the brands Rolls Royce and MINI, increased by 8.4 percent to more than 2.52 million units, with the BMW brand setting a new sales record of 2.2 million units.

A new long wheelbase version of BMW 3-Series sedan is on display during the 18th Shanghai International Automobile Industry Exhibition in Shanghai, east China, April 16, 2019.  (Xinhua/Chen Jianli)

In China, the company's biggest single market, total vehicle sales increased by 8.9 percent year-on-year. With 847,935 BMW and MINI vehicles delivered, the group posted a new sales record in the country for the second year in a row.