Of late many automobile manufacturers are collaborating with each other in order to reduce development costs and boost profitability. In India itself we are witnessing major auto giants partnering with each other like in the case of Maruti Suzuki and Toyota. So it isn't new for two automobile manufacturers to partner for future developments.
However, this new partnership between the age old rivals will take place on a global scale. BMW and Mercedes are all set to partner up for the development of a new EV platform and Mercedes' parent company, Daimler is already in talks with BMW regarding the same. This comes as a surprise for a lot of people as BMW and Mercedes have remained bitter rivals for the better part of last few decades since Daimler's takeover attempt on BMW with wrong.
The main aim of the partnership between the two German automobile giants would be cost savings in development. Both BMW and Mercedes have planned the launch of several EVs over the course. Mercedes plans on bringing out 10 EVs in the next four years while BMW had announced earlier that they intend to sell 12 EVs by 2025. Joining hands would not only lead to cost savings on research and development front but also help them turn in profits which have been declining due to trade tensions and high development costs. Moreover, we could witness a lot of new products under the partnership.
Currently, BMW is working with Toyota for the development of Supra/Z4 project. Meanwhile, Daimler-Benz are partnered with Renault-Nissan for engine sharing and product development. This does hint at a possibility of BMW and Mercedes teaming up for the development of a new EV platform.