According to the german journal of commerce, bmw is following the example of siyat cupra tavascan in seeking a minimum price agreement for its chinese-produced mini pure electric vehicles。
According to reports, bmw is actively negotiating with the european commission in the hope of replacing its import tariff on its chinese-made mini pure tram with a minimum price commitment. In the case of a car of pure electricity mini cooper and mini aceman, both vehicles were produced in zhang jia hong kong, from a joint venture between bmw and the wall's 50:50。
The eu 10 per cent base tariff is superimposed, and the combined tariff burden of the two models is currently about 31 per cent. The bmw initiative is a replica of the successful programme of cupra tavascan on february 11, 2025, which was granted full tariff exemption after negotiations between the european commission and the public security emblem, as well as the chinese model of first-hand tariff relief since the eu introduced customs duties in october 2024。
Under the agreement at that time, the public security emblem undertook to set a minimum import price for the vehicle, set an annual sales ceiling and undertake to invest in electric vehicle-related projects within the european union. Today, tavascan pays only 10% of the eu standard base tariff。
The bmw has also initiated proceedings in the european court of justice against the eu customs policy to advance the legal and diplomatic tracks simultaneously。
In january 2026, the european commission formally institutionalized the mechanism of price commitments and issued guidelines allowing chinese motor vehicle enterprises to submit a floor price formula in lieu of a countervailing duty that had been imposed after a year of investigation. The eu will assess each model separately and the minimum price will need to be set at a level sufficient to eliminate the “harmful effects” of the chinese government's subsidies. The local investment commitments of motor companies in the eu will also be included in the assessment, as clearly demonstrated when tavascan was approved。
To date, the floor price mechanism has clearly favoured western firms. For european brands produced in china (including tesla, bmw, and the public), the price threshold is much lower than their current retail prices, which means that they need only meet compliance requirements to be exempted from punitive tariffs owing to emigration. For example, tavascan sold about €50,000 (us$ 59,000) in europe before the price was promised。
But the situation is even more difficult for indigenous chinese brands that are competitive at their core. Mandatory price limits may directly offset the price advantages of their volume of sales, and chinese brands still fall short of western counterparts in terms of brand recognition and consumer trust。
