Chinese poach BMW staff

Translated from German

http://www.focus.de/auto/elektroaut...ne-experten-fuer-elektroautos_id_5452787.html

The Munich-based carmaker BMW has a major setback cope: According to a media report, the core development team for the electric models i3 and i8 is leaving the company and going to a startup based in China. This is a major setback for the goal of the Munich car manufacturer to establish itself as a manufacturer of electric cars.
The German auto giant BMW loses key employees its division for electric vehicles, such as disallowed portal reported finanzen.net on Wednesday. Your destination: the Chinese start-up Future Mobility.
It will end: developer, chief designer, product manager, engineer
In March Carsten wide field, developer of the i8 plug-in hybrid sports car, BMW, BMW had already left toward China. Now follow him according to the report, three experts of "BMW i" -Elektroauto group - an engineer, chief designer and head of product management.
According to information of the Manager magazine Dirk Abendroth developed the electric powertrain of i-models. He will take over as chief designer of the i-series, Benoit Jacob, and Hendrik Wenders, currently Head of BMW i product management, similar positions at Future Mobility
Thus, the Chinese competitor has poached at a stroke four top experts - and therefore massive know-how. There are always complaints about Wissensklau and economic espionage from China, now Future Mobility is obviously the most direct route and snaps Germany the top people away. The operating company's CEO, Daniel Kirchert has also worked according to the "Manager Magazin" several years for BMW and acted for example, as head of marketing in China.
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Behind the Startup Future Mobility associated with the Internet giant Tencent Holdings, the Apple contract manufacturer Foxconn and China Harmony Auto major Chinese companies who want to build a serious competitor for the US electric car pioneer Tesla. In parallel builds with Faraday Future another electric start-up just right for a billion dollars a plant in the US.
Horribly mistimed challenge for BMW
For the German automaker, the loss comes at an inopportune time. BMW is trying to provide with its i-models the US rival Tesla Paroli. This BMW is just beginning: In 2015, the German company sold 24,000 i8 i3 models and 5500 the flagship model. Despite the relatively small numbers of sales of electric vehicles increased by 66 percent, it said in the report. However, a third i-model will not come to market before 2020th It is possible that the development of the poached experts was not moving quickly enough.