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BMW Seeks EU Price Undertaking to Offset Tariffs on China-Built Electric MINIs

A confidential price floor would swap tariffs for predictability in MINI’s European pricing.

Overview

  • Talks cover the electric MINI Aceman and Cooper built in Zhangjiagang by Spotlight Automotive, BMW’s joint venture with Great Wall Motor.
  • The two models currently face about a 31% import burden in Europe from anti-subsidy duties stacked on the 10% base auto tariff.
  • The European Commission formalized model-specific undertakings in January 2026, enabling minimum import prices as an alternative to countervailing duties.
  • Volkswagen’s Cupra Tavascan set the precedent on February 11 by agreeing to a price floor, a sales cap and EU investment, reducing its burden to the standard 10% duty.
  • BMW is continuing its European Court of Justice challenge with a hearing expected around mid-year as MINI’s 2025 BEV deliveries rose to 105,535, raising the commercial stakes.