Foreign media reported that BMW has ordered batteries worth more than 10 billion euros ($11.07 billion) from CATL and South Korea's Samsung SDI. BMW said it had increased its orders for CATL to 7.3 billion euros from an initial value of 4 billion euros. It said the contract would run until 2020-2031. BMW also said it had signed a 2.9 billion euro battery supply contract with Samsung SDI, valid from 2021 to 2031.

BMW plans to launch 25 electric models by 2023, more than half of which will be all-electric. Sales of electric cars are expected to double between 2019 and 2021.

Europe's auto industry is promoting zero-emission vehicles to comply with clean air regulations, a strategic shift that has forced carmakers to adjust their supply chains to make electric cars.